The Perfect Distance
by serpentineinfinity
Summary: For Anna, distances have always been a simple concept—count the strides, align the horse properly, and complete the jump. But when she joins the equestrian team at her college and interacting with Elsa, a guarded yet mysterious senior, becomes inevitable, Anna is about to learn that measuring distances may not just apply only to horses. Equestrian/college AU. Eventual Elsanna
1. Chapter 1

The barn was insanity, as it always was when the slightly excited, yet mostly timid and nervous freshmen arrived to try out for the college's equestrian jumping team. This particular barn, where the students would take lessons and prepare for horse shows was Arendelle Riding Academy—a pristine, high-end show barn that was located a mere ten minutes from campus, and held a longtime relationship with the college.

Anna Summers, only one of the many freshmen, couldn't keep her mouth from hanging open in shock as she took in the perfect, green acres, and the sophisticated design of the enormous barn that was so spotless, it was almost as if it glistened in the sun.

If this was the outside…Anna couldn't even begin to wonder what was inside.

Well, besides the horses, of course. That was what she was here for, anyway. Yes, this barn may not resemble anything that Anna was used to—the tiny, family-run farm where she had taken lessons at home and leased the most adorable dun Fjord pony named Chip, until he had retired—but it was nothing that Anna couldn't handle.

Or so she thought.

"Anna, aren't you forgetting something?"

It was only the voice of her fellow freshman and best friend, Kristoff Bjorgman, that could bring her back to the present. The two of them had grown up together, and now attended the same college.

"What could I have _possibly_ forgotten?" Anna rolled her eyes, "I have everything we went over—riding boots, gloves, show jacket, helmet…" Suddenly Anna's eyes widened as she realized that her black show helmet wasn't in its usual place hooked over her arm, "Oh, God! Kristoff, I must have left my helmet in my dorm room! They won't even let me ride without it!"

Anna's hands flew to the ends of her vibrant red twin braids, twirling one of them around her fingers in anticipation. Although the double braids were a style for much younger equestrians, complete with colored bows, as Anna hand grown older she had grown attached to the look (so much so that she wore it constantly even when she wasn't at the barn). And so she had adapted the look so that she could wear the style almost every day by leaving off the bows that would, at her age, definitely look ridiculous.

"Hey, it's alright," Kristoff said, "I'm sure they've got spare helmets here."

"At a place like this!?" Anna dropped her voice so that the other students bustling around them wouldn't overhear, "They probably expect all boots shined and not a speck of dirt anywhere; bringing your own helmet is probably on the list of rhetorical requirements!"

At this point, she couldn't ask Kristoff to take her back. As Anna didn't have a car, he had offered to drive her to the tryouts, on the condition that she would have to come earlier because his tryout time was half an hour before Anna's.

Kristoff opened his mouth to say something else, but Anna cut him off, not wanting to discuss the matter anymore, "But whatever. It's my fault for being so incredibly idiotic and disorganized."

And then she stepped forward, wanting to get on with the events of the day before they could get any worse. But before her boot had even made contact once more with the ground, her shoulder and turned head made contact with something else that nearly threw her off balance. And if it weren't for the steady hand that reached out to catch her, she would have landed in the dirt.

"You forgot to mention clumsy," Kristoff muttered, attempting to hold back a laugh as his goofy smile grew across his face.

"Very funny," Anna nearly stuck her tongue out at him, but the grip that was still on her arm brought her back to reality.

"I'm so—" Anna started, turning to face whoever it was she'd run into. But just the sight of his eyes made her feel like maybe she wasn't even sorry at all.

"Sorry," the two said at the same time.

There was a long pause, and a gaze exchanged longer than necessary…

"Uh…I'm Hans," the red haired student finally let go of Anna's arm, and then extended his hand, which Anna took and shook as if on autopilot.

"I'm Anna."

"Well, I sincerely apologize for running into you with my horse here. Or, well, he's not really mine, but he was the horse I was assigned to for tryouts."

"Oh, no, really it's fine. It was totally my fault…" and then not knowing what else to say, she turned her head. In the process, her gaze shifted to the bay horse at the end of the lead rope—a tall, muscled gelding—and facing the horse completely, she said, "Hello."

And then she cringed internally while attempting to remain calm. Had she really just said hello to the _horse_?

But Hans only smiled.

And while Anna thought she could get lost staring at him all day, she suddenly remembered, "Um…I need to go! The tryouts! And I forgot my helmet, and—"

"Hey, slow down," Hans chuckled, "I have to put the horse in his field, but if you wait for me, you can borrow mine. I'll meet you in the lounge."

Anna was about to ask where in the world the lounge was—or rather _what_ in the world a lounge was even doing in a _barn_ —but as if that had settled everything, Hans gave a wave, and walked off abruptly.

And Anna only stared after him.

"Earth to Anna."

Anna whipped her head around, cheeks flushing, "I, uh…" she didn't know what to say.

"You found yourself a helmet. Although if you wouldn't have walked off so quickly, I was about to offer you mine. But you've got everything you need now, so let's go."

All Anna could do was blush as she followed her friend into the barn.

But it didn't last for long.

Her embarrassment was once again replaced by shock when she realized she didn't even know which way to look first. There were so many stalls, so many horses…and it was all so perfectly and neatly arranged. There were three wash stalls, supply and feed rooms, and two aisles of stalls that both led to an indoor arena. And there was a _second_ level. Obviously, this wasn't a level that there were horses on. But there were more supply rooms, a tack room that looked like it had a very strict order to it, and, of course, the lounge.

Sure, Anna's barn may have had a hay loft as a second level, but this barn dwarfed almost every single other barn she had ever even _visited_ both in size and immaculate organization.

And what was even more impressive was the amount of commodities that the lounge included. It took up at least half of the second level, with a view overlooking the massive expanse of the indoor arena. There were cushioned chairs at a table, two sofas, a microwave, a sink, and even lockers for students to put their belongings. And the floor was _carpeted_.

"Wow," was all Anna could say, barely able to look past the extravagance of it all to notice the twenty or so other people standing in the room with them.

"All prospective members please sign in and sign the release form," Merida called, attempting to bring order to the disarray of anxious students that Anna was now aware of, "And please put your check for the cost of the tryouts inside this envelope."

Merida was captain of the advanced team, who Anna had met during orientation. She had also met Mulan, the intermediate team captain, and Flynn, the novice team captain. From orientation she had learned the team divisions, and that the team captains competed with their teams even though they took lessons separately.

But letting Merida's words sink in, Anna grimaced. Twenty dollars to try out for the team. She worked a part time job at Starbucks, but even that was not enough to fund her equestrian… _addiction_ …without the support of her parents. And with a barn this fancy, she only assumed that the prices would continue to skyrocket.

But it was her only chance to ride while in college, and she wasn't going to let money stand in her way.

Or the fact that there were about twenty or thirty students trying out for four competition team positions. Those who didn't make it would still be allowed to take lessons, but wouldn't be able to compete. And while all Anna really wanted was to be able to ride, a part of her desperately wanted to make the competition team. There was one position for the advanced jumping team, one for the intermediate jumping team, and two for the novice jumping team. And Anna, based on her experience, would be trying out for one of the novice positions.

She listened with half an ear, as she tended to do when distracted, as Merida reviewed barn conduct before Kristoff's tryouts for the intermediate team began. She'd hear the same spiel before her own, anyway.

When Merida was finished talking, the room erupted into conversation once more, and it seemed that Anna was the only one who noticed the door open. It was none other than Hans, who smiled when he saw her and made his way over to her.

"Here you go," he said, handing her his helmet, "You might need to adjust it a little."

"Thank you so much," Anna said, and before she could say anything else, he turned to leave.

And it wasn't until she left that she realized, "Wait I don't even know where to meet him to return it!"

"You'll figure it out," Kristoff reassured her, "And you'll probably see him here at the barn anyway. Put it on, and I'll help you adjust it."

But when Anna turned the helmet upside down to put it on her head, a small piece of paper floated out of it.

Confused, Anna picked it up.

 _And you can return it to me on Friday afternoon maybe, at the café?_

Instantly, Anna's cheeks flushed, but she grinned, "Smooth, Hans, real smooth."

The words were followed by his number.

"Just put the helmet on already so I can go find my horse," Kristoff rolled his eyes. But Anna couldn't tell if he was happy for her, or perturbed.

* * *

An hour later, Kristoff's tryout was complete. And Anna's was about to begin…

As soon as she found the bridle for the chestnut mare she had been assigned to ride!

Delaney, who Anna had taken to calling Dee, was waiting patiently in her stall while Anna furiously searched the tack room for the bridle she was looking for.

"Kristoff it's not here!" she exclaimed.

Not only was she nervous about her tryout, but now she would make a horrible first impression—by being late.

"Whoa, calm down there Feisty Pants," Kristoff laughed, using his elementary school nickname for her that had stuck, "I found it—it's in the wrong place."

Anna breathed a sigh of relief, and headed over to where Kristoff was standing.

The bridle with the name tag of "Delaney" had somehow been placed on the hook labeled for "Legacy".

"Thanks Kristoff."

Anna hurried downstairs, and quickly bridled the mare, who stood calmly, flicking her tail idly at the occasional fly.

"At least you're well behaved," Anna told the placid horse.

Merida was sitting on the bleachers at the end of the indoor arena as Anna walked in and joined about five other students. Mulan and Flynn were seated on either side of Merida. And the trainer who would be teaching their lessons, Coach Weselton, (who everyone referred to as Weaselton, or, more commonly 'the Weasel', although Anna still wasn't exactly certain why) was sitting there as well.

The arena was huge. At the moment, one side of the arena had jumps set up, and the other half was sectioned off into a dressage arena. Anna didn't know much about dressage, but she immediately recognized the little white fence that stood less than foot high, labeled with bold black letters at certain points where the rider would be asked to transition to a different move or gait with the horse.

In addition to the vast expanse of space inside of the arena, there were two entrances, one from each side of the stables, and a large clock was present on one of the walls. The other long wall was covered in mirrors placed at a height where Anna could see her reflection, so she would be able to see when she needed to adjust her position and posture.

"If each of you could make your way to the mounting block, then we can begin," Merida announced, "And please make sure you have your number; without it we can't identify you."

Anna double checked that the white paper was tied around her show jacket. Thankfully, she had actually remembered it.

When it was her turn at the mounting block, Delaney stood still. But as soon as Anna swung into the saddle and attempted to adjust her stirrups, the mare started walking forward.

"Dee," Anna hissed, giving the mare a small tug on the reins, "Stay put."

When she released the reins, Dee was quiet just long enough for Anna to shorten her left stirrups, as the current length was definitely too long for her. But then another horse, a gray gelding, was maneuvered too close for Dee's liking by another nervous rider, and the mare sidestepped and gave a small kick, which almost unseated Anna who only had one foot in the stirrup.

"Easy," Anna warned, slightly nervous now. Sure, Dee had been well-mannered on the ground. But it seemed as though Anna had spoken too soon…

The other student, who offered Anna a quick apology, moved her horse far away from Dee. Anna made sure that the mare had plenty of room away from the other horses as the captains, who had been oblivious to Dee's outburst, instructed the riders to warm up.

Trying to keep her mind from focusing on how flighty and slightly aggressive Dee seemed to be behaving, she tried to remember the basics. Heels down, shoulders back, eyes up. She avoided the scrutinizing eyes of the captains, and focused instead on the horse in front of her.

"Okay everyone, posting trot, please," Merida called.

 _Don't forget your diagonal_ , Anna's trainer's words flooded through her mind. This was something that Anna seldom remembered, although it was also a basic. She need to rise up and down with the movement of the trot. In order to be on the proper diagonal, Anna needed to rise as Dee's outside leg (the one closest to the wall) moved forward.

At first when Anna asked for the trot, Dee pinned her ears, but she listened with the slightest squeeze, eager to fly forward and chase down the horse in front of her.

"Whoa," Anna whispered, trying to urge the mare to slow by slowing her posting instead of pulling on the reins. She was being judged on every single minute riding skill, after all.

Once she had Dee at a collected trot, she was finally able to keep the mare at a decently paced rhythm.

"Now, change directions across the diagonal," Merida's voice broke the intense silence.

Anna followed the lead of the rider in front of her, directing Dee with her leg as much as possible before using the reins, which she was finding to be slightly difficult. Dee was certainly headstrong, and Anna could only hope that everything would go smoothly when they started jumping.

After they crossed the diagonal—literally riding a diagonal line from one end of the arena to the other—Anna turned Dee to the left, simultaneously changing her posting diagonal. And surprisingly, Dee was moving well. She wasn't too fast, and she wasn't pulling at the bit.

"I want the following numbers to come to the center of the arena: 244, 231, and 305. The rest of you, please transition to the canter when you're ready. Then we'll have the groups switch and perform the same exercise," Merida said.

Anna's number was 305, but she found that she was okay with being in the second group. It would give her time to think things through—something else she also had trouble with, whether riding or not.

She played it all out in her mind; she knew exactly what to do. She'd ask for the canter, but would also make sure she gave Dee a half halt as well, in the hopes of getting the mare to understand that they needed to perform a sane and _slow_ canter. Because somehow, she could see Dee attempting to take off with her at a gallop.

Content with her plan, Anna was completely calm and confident watching the other riders. But then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed something that she couldn't quite draw her gaze away from.

A white horse had suddenly appeared on the other side of the arena, led by a platinum blonde who looked to be only a little older than Anna herself. The blonde had her hair in a single braid beneath an all-black helmet, and the contrast of the two colors made the striking platinum blonde color seem almost white. She wore tan breeches, and tucked into them with a belt was a light blue collared shirt that read "Arendelle Riding Academy". Matching the shirt, she wore blue riding gloves, and the tall boots that she wore were completely spotless.

The white horse was spotless as well—and Anna knew how difficult it was to keep a white horse from turning random shades of brown. Or green. In fact, it was almost impossible.

But both horse and rider were as pristine as this entire barn seemed to be.

And it wasn't until she had mounted and walked the horse into the dressage arena, straight in Anna's direction, that she noticed Anna staring.

When Anna met the blonde's blue eyes, she knew she should have turned away, but she couldn't. There was something so captivating about the new presence in the arena—about this rider than Anna had never seen before.

Suddenly, the blonde's eyebrows raised, and she lifted the riding crop that she was carrying ever so slightly, as if to tap her horse on the shoulder. But instead, she left it there, so that at about a thirty degree angle from the white horse's shoulder, the end of it could be followed all the way to the side of the arena—to the rail. Which was rather perplexing to Anna because…

 _Oh, shit_.

The rail.

The tryouts!

Her group!

"Number 305, a left lead canter, please."

Anna finally heard the voice that she was sure she had missed the first time. Anna noticed the blonde's mouth contort into the slightest hint of a smirk, and her face burned as she thought, _this is so not funny._

Heart pounding, Anna walked Dee to the rail.

 _Now the last thing I need is for you to misbehave, so listen to me!_ Anna thought desperately to the horse beneath her, as if Dee could read her mind.

Anna tried to clear her mind. Really, she did.

 _Sit back, heels down._

But those blue eyes were watching her every move.

And Anna couldn't focus. She really couldn't.

Instead of sitting back, she felt herself leaning forward, and so Dee, who was all too eager and knew exactly what she was 'supposed' to do, picked up the canter lead on her own.

And it was the fastest thing that Anna had ever felt in her life.

If anything could snap her back to reality, it was Dee's hooves pounding the dirt like a storm beneath her.

"Whoa," Anna said instinctively, giving the mare small half halts as she fought to keep her balance. But she gave Dee her head in between the half halts, knowing that holding her head back the entire time would only agitate the chestnut horse more.

After one wild trip around the arena with the insane mare keeping her head high instead of down, Dee finally slowed her canter, and eventually started trotting again.

"That's okay," Merida said, "Good job keeping her under control. Now, we'll have you all go one at a time over the three jumps that are set up. You'll do the diagonal jump first, and then circle around to the two outside jumps.

Anna could barely keep her breathing under control as she joined the rest of the students where they had lined up on the rail, in number order, leaving Anna last. But as she walked the mare past the middle of the arena, where the jumping portion merged into the dressage portion, she saw the blonde rider trying to hold back a laugh with one hand over her mouth.

And she wasn't doing a very good job of it.

 _Can this get any worse_ , Anna sighed inwardly.

All she had to do was get this crazy mare over three jumps without landing in the dirt.

And it seemed simple enough when she thought about it—almost as simple as the blonde rider had made the transition from the walk to the trot look when Anna's attention had once again strayed to the other side of the arena as she waited for her turn—but it was much harder to accomplish when said crazy mare insisted on racing full speed ahead towards the first jump.

The distance was completely off. If Dee kept barreling forward that fast they'd crash straight into it before they even got over it.

Anna leaned back as far as she could, and finally got the mare to slow down, only giving Dee rein over the fence so that she could stretch her neck and complete the jump.

Once they landed, Anna gave the mare a firm half halt, and circled her around to the outside line of jumps, which were two red-and-white jumps in a row. As they headed forward, Anna could feel the difference; she had now gained Dee's attention as the mare's canter strides shortened at Anna's request.

Dee was quiet over the jump, and didn't try to take off with Anna upon seeing the second jump in front of her. She waited for Anna's cues, and Anna breathed a huge sigh of relief as they landed from the second jump. She brought Dee down to the trot, and then to the walk, and, although the mare had definitely been high strung and inane in the beginning, she gave the chestnut a pat on the neck for her efforts.

"Thank you all for taking the time to try out," Merida said once Anna had halted, "Our decisions will be made by the next meeting, and we'll discuss divisions, shows, lessons, and dues. Let the horses walk out for a few minutes to cool down."

Anna gave Dee slightly longer reins at the walk, but kept them short enough just in case the spirited mare decided to bolt. Or kick. Or rear. Or buck. Or do whatever it was that could pop into her mind at any given moment.

And for the first time since she had started her jumping round, Anna allowed her attention to stray back to the blonde rider.

Her horse was nothing short of perfection. _She_ was nothing short of perfection…

And now as Anna approached the middle of the arena, she noticed the blonde rider walk her horse over to the edge of the dressage arena and halt.

Anna was confused, but didn't think much of it, continuing to walk past. But before she was out of earshot she heard the blonde say something that made all of her embarrassment return; something that, had Anna known about it before, may have avoided this whole situation with Dee entirely. And she said it such a way that it wasn't quite berating, yet still retained a hint of laugh:

"Delaney's supposed to wear a martingale."

* * *

 **A/n:** First, I don't own Frozen, or any of the characters from frozen, or any other characters that might appear in this fic…Yep. So in short that'd be none of the characters.

Second, the world needed more equestrian Elsanna fanfics. Because horses are life, and that is the truth :)

Third, this is going to be much longer than A State of Grace (if you read that), and also not as insanely angsty—but there will definitely be some angst. And because of that, when I say eventual Elsanna, I really do mean eventual. Especially because of Hans...but the Elsanna will happen, I promise! And the style is definitely going to be different than the style of A State of Grace as well.

Fourth, excuse any equine-related mistakes. I do know a lot about horses, but I don't know _everything_ about horses. And if you feel lost at all with the horsey lingo, I'll explain some of the terms in my author's notes, and I'll be happy to explain anything I miss if you ask. To start you all off—a martingale is a training aid that connects the bridle to the girth, preventing the horse from tossing his head and evading the bit. And also some basics: the walk is the four-beat gate, the trot is the two-beat gait (which is faster than the walk, and also requires posting, which was mentioned briefly), and the canter is the three-beat gait (which is faster than the trot). The rail just means the edge of the arena, by the gate or the wall. And a half halt is a halt using only the outside rein (the one closest to the wall) instead of both.

And after all of that long-winded yet necessary craziness, thanks for reading :)


	2. Chapter 2

"Anna, it's all right. You did the best you could," Kristoff tried to console her after the tryouts were over, but nothing could keep Anna from constantly reliving what felt like the most embarrassing thirty minutes of her life.

Anna ran her fingers through Dee's copper mane, as the untacked horse stood silently in her stall, content with the attention.

And Anna was content to say nothing, refusing to answer her friend.

"I'm going to wait outside. Come out when you're ready to go," Kristoff said finally.

Anna sighed. She had yet to take Dee's tack back up to the tack room.

And she had no excuse for being rude to Kristoff—snapping at him the entire time she had untacked Dee. It wasn't his fault. He was right. It was going to be all right. And she had done the best that she could.

Mentally berating herself for both her performance and her reaction, Anna juggled the saddle and the rest of Dee's tack and carried it upstairs.

As she was distracted, the redhead clumsily burst into the room, not looking where she was going, so it was no surprise when she (very ungracefully) walked right into a person who was walking towards the door.

And of course it was none other than the blonde rider she had seen in the arena before.

For the _second_ time that day, she had walked into someone. That was a record, even for Anna.

"I'm so sorry," Anna's words were rushed, "I wasn't looking where I was going, and I was in a hurry because my friend is waiting to take me back to campus and I spent way too long untacking, and about before, with the martingale, I didn't see it and so I didn't realize that—"

"I'm around horses all the time. If I'm not getting kicked or stepped on or walked into then something would be wrong, wouldn't it?"

The words stopped Anna's own, halting her rambling mouth abruptly; something that she didn't know that anything, or anyone, was capable of. She'd talked right over Anna, which, in hind sight, Anna found herself grateful for because she probably would have just continued to make a fool out of herself—but _still_!

And Anna didn't know what to make of the tone the words held. Was she being sarcastic? Was she joking?

But before Anna could dwell on it further, the blonde had already begun talking again.

"And about the martingale, I actually just had to put it back in the right place. One of the freshmen must have misplaced it during the morning tryouts. I found it where Legacy's bridle is supposed be. Lower classmen can be so irresponsible."

 _Yeah,_ Anna thought. _I'm a freshman. A very clumsy and crazy and nervous freshman, but I do my best to be responsible._

"But I need to get back downstairs. So if you don't mind…"

And Anna realized that the entire time, she had been standing in the doorway, completely blocking the blonde rider from leaving.

"Oh."

That was all that Anna could manage.

 _Stupid, stupid mouth._

Always blabbering nonstop until she needed it to work the most.

And who was this rider, anyway? Claiming that all lower classmen were irresponsible? Anna was in no way irresponsible. In fact, she was inanely responsible; so much so that she had practically helped run the barn where she'd leased Chip!

But a quick, "Sorry," was all she said, and she moved forward into the tack room so that the blonde would have room to leave.

"I am a complete mess. And awful at making first impressions," Anna muttered as soon as she was alone in the room, "But apparently not so bad as others."

She quickly put the saddle on its rack, and the bridle in its _proper_ place.

She'd be lucky if she would even get to ride here at all, let alone make the team. As if her actual riding hadn't gone horribly enough, she already seemed to be making enemies.

* * *

Classes the next day were exhausting.

It was only Anna's third day, and so far, she and her roommate Rapunzel only had their pre-calculus class together.

Anna was pleased that she was getting along so well with the freshman, whose blonde hair was so long it reached the middle of her back, but she found that she didn't recognize many students from her building in any of her classes, and it was primarily the students in her co-ed dorm building who she knew the best.

Well…make that a select _few_ of the students in her building who she knew the best. The list included Kristoff, of course, and Rapunzel, because they were roommates. It also included Olaf, an extremely enthusiastic freshman who threw himself into any and every conversation even if he didn't know who he was talking to; this antic was the only reason Anna could say that she knew a third person on campus.

And she knew Hans.

The thought made her smile.

 _But…other than that, I pretty much know no one_ , Anna sighed, walking to her first class of the day.

Chem lab.

At 9:05 in the morning.

How she despised morning classes!

What was this life anyway, forcing her to go to college in order to be successful, extracting all of the money from her bank account—in addition to the most expensive sport known to the world—and making classes start at ungodly hours that trudged on until sunset when she would drag herself over to the dining hall and eat food that tasted like it had been last week's left overs, spending her days running from building to building, only to find inside every single classroom the same chalkboards, strict professors, cramped desks, and—

 _Familiar blonde hair!?_

Anna's eyes widened as she entered the chemistry lab.

What was that rider doing here? Anna had thought she was a trainer, maybe. Or a worker exercising the horses. Because she clearly hadn't been participating in the tryouts.

But regardless, here she was.

And she knew every humiliating little thing that had happened a mere twenty four hours ago.

The blonde hadn't seen her, so Anna took a seat at the opposite side of the room. She occupied herself with the lab manual until the professor came in and started talking about the course, and proper sanitation, and safety procedures—

"And I have already assigned lab partners, so please come look at the roster and see who you've been paired with for the semester."

Anna sighed. She hated assigned partners, but it looked like in the long run, it would be a good thing. She didn't know anyone in this class, and so the predetermined arrangement would save her some trouble, and of course, the embarrassment that seemed to follow her everywhere.

She waited in the line of students to find out who she had been paired with, but before she even made it to the paper, she heard her name.

"You're Anna Summers, right?"

She turned in the direction of the voice that belonged to none other than the blonde rider.

What had Anna done to deserve this? Life hated her.

And how had she already known Anna's name?

But Anna didn't dare ask. All she did was nod her head and follow the blonde over to the lab table where she had been sitting before.

"I already read through everything. Go get a graduated cylinder and a beaker. And make sure they're clean."

 _Yes ma'am_ , Anna rolled her eyes once she had turned her back to the blonde.

And while the entire lab followed accordingly—as horribly as it had begun—Anna couldn't deny that she was, ever so slightly, lucky in her lab partner assignment. She may not have a lab partner who was…how should she put it… _nice_.

But she certainly had a lab partner who knew exactly what she was doing.

And that, Anna knew as she watched the rest of the class working, was something she could be grateful for. Because after completing the lab with half an hour still left of the two-hour lab period, Anna realized that she might actually be able to take nap before her class at noon.

But first she needed to settle one thing.

"Who are you, anyway?" Anna demanded, turning towards the blonde the second they had left the classroom.

"My name is Elsa Arendelle."

And as if that explained everything, she walked out the door without looking back.

Exasperated, Anna made her way back to her dorm room, and was greeted by her roommate with the very uplifting question of: "So, are you going to have nightmares about it tonight?"

"Ugh, Rapunzel, it was awful!" Anna wailed as she collapsed face-first onto her pillow.

"Well, you know what they say. Chem lab is the stuff that horror movies are made of."

"The lab itself wasn't even that bad! It's who I have to work with for the _entire_ semester!"

So much for her nap. She was going to have to vent about this for at least an hour.

"Well, who is it?" Rapunzel asked.

"Elsa Arendelle."

"Wait. Are we talking about _the_ Elsa Arendelle?" Rapunzel asked.

Anna's head shot upright, "Do you know her?"

"Not personally, no. But I've heard everything about her. She's like the talk of the school. I know we've only been here for, what, three days now? Minus orientation. But please tell me that I'm not the only one who has been hearing about her nonstop."

"Uh, as far as I know, you're the only one. Please, enlighten me so I know what I'm going to be forced to deal with for two hours of every Wednesday of my life."

"She's the daughter of the ones who own Arendelle Riding Academy, hence the last name. They live there. I'm surprised you didn't notice it when you went for your tryout. I've heard the house is almost like a mansion. She's a senior, a business major, and manages all of the papers and financial stuff for the team and the barn. But everyone talks about her because she's never joined the riding team. And no one ever sees her ride. And not that I know anything about horses—because I don't, it's just not my thing—but I've heard that she'll only get on and warm up when other people are watching. She'll never actually ride in front of anyone, and she never jumps when anyone else is watching, either."

"Okay. So I'll admit I feel a little stupid for not realizing the connection," Anna grinned sheepishly, " _But_ I still don't understand why it gives her the right to act like she's better than everyone else."

Rapunzel shrugged, "Does anyone? I mean, from what I've heard, she pretty much keeps to herself. So…good luck with all of that. This is why I try to stay out of the way of upperclassmen. Although that junior, Flynn, is extremely good-looking."

"Yeah, well, we all knew that you were after him the minute you saw he was our tour guide during orientation," Anna rolled her eyes, "Although…I can't quite say I agree with your opinion anymore after seeing a certain someone that I ran into. Like, I _literally_ ran into him."

"Oh, Anna, details! Is he tall? Handsome? Is he an equestrian too?" Rapunzel fired off questions, completely ignoring Anna's mention of her clumsiness, which, if Anna were being honest, she was completely okay with.

"Yes, yes, and yes," Anna answered, the picture of Hans, with his red hair and, dare she admit it, _dreamy_ eyes, coming to mind.

"What's his name?"

"Hans."

"Is he a freshman?"

"Actually," Anna frowned, "I'm not sure. But…he gave me his number yesterday, and I guess you could say we kind of have an unofficial date on Friday."

"And _when_ were you going to tell me this!" Rapunzel grinned, "This is so exciting!"

"I was going to get around to it," Anna waved her hand as if to dismiss it all, "Clearly I've got plenty of other things on my mind."

"Have you talked to him about it yet?"

"No. I was going to text him tonight. He wants to meet me at the café, but I work in the morning. Good thing I don't have any classes on Fridays, huh?"

"Oh, don't rub it in!" Rapunzel exclaimed.

"I'd never," Anna grinned playfully, "I just think it would be the _best_ thing in the world to have to wake up for an eight a.m. _biology lab_ on Friday mornings."

"Well, you know what?" Rapunzel huffed, "Maybe Flynn will be in it."

"Flynn is a _junior_. Why would he be in an entry level biology course?" Anna laughed.

"Hey, wait a minute," Rapunzel stopped, growing serious, "That actually makes no sense. Elsa's a senior. Why is she in a freshman chemistry lab?"

Anna let the thought sink in.

"You know what, that is a very good question."

* * *

Thursday soon rolled around, and the team meeting came even more quickly than anticipated.

Anna was nervous as she made her way to the classroom where the meeting would be held, Kristoff walking by her side.

"Even if you don't make the team, you can still ride," he reminded her.

"I know," she said.

"Hey, if I made the team it'll be a miracle," Kristoff said, trying to lighten the mood, "Everyone else is so advanced."

"Right," Anna played along, "Because everyone else has grown up riding sophisticated horses, and you've been trying to train a reindeer how to jump."

It was a very long-standing joke that the two shared.

Sven, Kristoff's own horse, who he boarded and was currently leasing out to another rider while Kristoff spent the school year in college, would participate every winter in the annual holiday parade in their hometown. Sven would be dressed up as a reindeer with antlers and all, pulling a carriage, in order to defray the cost of boarding fees.

"You know, Anna, one day I'm going to enter him in a show and make him wear them," Kristoff said.

And at the thought of this, Anna actually laughed. Kristoff always knew how to bring her back down to earth; make her feel better no matter the circumstance.

Spending the entire rest of the walk debating on whether or not Sven would look ridiculous or endearing, Anna barely realized that they had reached their destination until they walked into the room that was filled with anxious faces that Anna either recognized vaguely, or didn't recognize at all.

"Good evening," Merida's voice filled the room at seven on the dot, not wasting a single second, "We have you here tonight to discuss many things—one of which being the team assignments. However, first, I want to talk to you about what your obligation to the team entails. I want to begin with lessons. If you are on the team, you are expected to lesson twice a week, with your team. If you miss more than two lesson, you will not be able to participate in the show team for the rest of the semester, which is why, as you will see on the assignment sheet, we have picked reserves.

"That being said, reserves also lesson twice a week, and it is critical that they attempt to make all of their lessons, because it isn't always known when they will be needed for shows. And for anyone who has not made the team, you are still allowed to ride, and will be considered part of our club. There is always room to improve and try out again next year to join the team.

"There is a complete show schedule, and all show team participants are expected to attend every show. Emails will be sent out to team members detailing the show schedule, the lesson schedule, and when lessons will begin. If there is a conflict Flynn, Mulan, or I need to be made aware of this as soon as possible. As far as dues go, there is a ten dollar fee per semester to be part of a club on campus, and the combined cost for membership and showing is a fifty dollar annual fee. Lessons are forty dollars each. If there is—"

 _Forty dollars!?_

Anna didn't even think that with her job she'd be able to afford that when she was helping her parents pay the thousands of dollars for tuition, board, books, and her meal plan. What was she going to do—especially if she made the team? That would be forty dollars _twice_ a week!

Anna sighed inwardly, and turned her attention back to Merida, who she realized she had been tuning out for the past few seconds.

"And now, before I release the team assignments, I would like to introduce you all to someone who some of you may already know, but most of you don't. This is Elsa Arendelle, and she will be the one dealing with all of the paperwork and finances for the team. And I believe that she also has some points to discuss with you."

Anna didn't even notice the blonde's presence in the room until she looked to the left of Merida, where none other than Elsa was sitting by the podium, next to Flynn and Mulan.

Elsa got up to speak, her hair in that perfect braid, not a crease in her clothing, and Anna didn't even hear a word she said. All she could think of was how quickly Elsa could silence the entire room.

While Merida had been talking, some students had been having side conversations, whispering or talking to one another—probably about the chances they had of making the team—or texting with their phones in their laps.

But when Elsa had stepped up to that podium to speak, the room had fallen silent, and the blonde's gaze, an almost icy one, had full command and attention.

Anna didn't register anything the blonde was saying until the very end.

"...And lastly, please do try to keep everything in order, and put anything that you use back where you found it. During the tryouts there was a misplaced bridle and martingale, which caused some…"

Anna waited for what Elsa was going to say: disorder, miscommunication, problems—

Elsa looked straight at Anna, and said, "Chaos."

* * *

 **A/n:** Sorry for the cliffhanger :p The next chapter will pick up right where this one left off.

The only horse term I can think of in this chapter that might need to be addressed is probably tack, which I forgot to clarify in the first chapter (sorry!) even though most of you probably already know what it is. It's just one word that's used to refer to the saddle, the bridle, the girth, the saddle pad…even the martingale. Pretty much anything you're putting on the horse in preparation to ride is considered tack. Hence the terms 'tacking up' before a ride and 'untacking' after a ride.

Thanks for reading :)


	3. Chapter 3

Anna's riding had not been _that_ bad!

Delaney had been chaos— _not_ Anna! She had managed to keep that horse under control! She had managed to get that headstrong mare over the jumps _without_ the martingale that she was supposed to have! If anything, Anna had been completely collected and composed.

 _Well, ignoring the fact that you spent half of the time watching Elsa_ …

And realization hit her square in the face.

Of course Elsa was out to get her now.

Anna had spent nearly her entire tryout _staring_ at the blonde rider, taking an interest in her riding when she quite obviously preferred to go unnoticed.

It all made sense, with the rumors that Rapunzel had told her. Clearly it was an unspoken rule that Elsa's riding was not to be criticized, scrutinized, or even observed.

"So now that all of this business is settled," Merida stood at the podium once more, "Please, in an _organized_ fashion, come look at the team list in the front of the room."

And of course, since Merida had said 'organized', the entire room erupted into chaos— _See, Elsa, this is the_ real _definition of chaos_ —pushing and shoving to get to the front.

Instead of jumping in with the mass of students, Anna and Kristoff waited patiently as their fellow classmates gave elated shouts of "Yes!" or disappointed sighs. Anna was now too nervous—and quite truthfully, too uptight and bothered by what Elsa had said—to talk to Kristoff. And she didn't know what to do, because watching the storm of students crowding around the stapled piece of paper meant looking in a direction that was dangerously close to Elsa—and the blonde was one person she did not want to have to see.

For a long time.

So instead she turned her head to the left, to look out the window.

But instead she noticed Hans, who, upon seeing her, raised his hand and waved from where he was sitting half way across the room.

Anna smiled and waved back at him. And then he got up and walked over to where she was sitting.

 _Some things are going right_ , she thought, and sighed happily.

"I was going to text you tonight, but I forgot I'd see you here," Anna said.

"And you didn't bring my helmet…so I guess that means we're still on for Friday?" Hans smiled.

"Yeah," Anna confirmed, "I work until twelve, but how does one sound?"

"That sounds perfect," Hans said, "I'll see you then."

And then he turned to leave.

"Aren't you going to check the list?" Anna asked.

"Well, all twelve of my brothers were champion riders on the team, so I'm pretty much guaranteed that spot on the advanced team," Hans gave a small shrug, as if it were nothing, but then he winked before walking out the door.

And no sooner had he left than Kristoff said, "I don't like him."

"Hey, don't be mean," Anna narrowed her eyes.

"He's so full of himself."

"Well, I find confidence to be a very attractive quality," Anna crossed her arms, not quite certain why she was suddenly so defensive. But she went along with it anyway.

"People talk about him, Anna," Kristoff said, "And you don't even know the first thing about him."

"Why is it that everyone seems to know everything about everyone here except for me!" Anna exclaimed, thinking back to how Rapunzel had known all of those details about Elsa before Anna had even known the blonde's name.

But if Kristoff wanted to know what in the world she meant, he didn't ask. Instead, he jumped right back to the matter at hand, "We're talking about this when we get back to the dorms."

"Sheesh. So overprotective," Anna rolled her eyes.

But he was her best friend. And she owed it to him to at least listen to what he had to say.

By now the commotion had died down, and Anna decided that it was safe to look at the paper.

Careful to avoid any contact whatsoever with Elsa—eye contact included—Anna made her way over to the table at the front of the room. Holding her breath, she searched the array of names and placements, and then there, under the listing for the novice team was…

 _Anna Summers_

And she didn't even bother reading the other names below hers. For a moment she forgot about everything—Elsa, Hans, Kristoff not approving of Hans, even the money issue—and jumped up and down, shoving the paper in Kristoff's face.

"I did it!" She exclaimed.

Kristoff smiled and said, "Of course you did."

Then he turned the paper to look for the intermediate team, and in the single spot available was Kristoff's name.

"Good job," Anna told him, equally as happy for her best friend as he was for her.

"See, riding a reindeer has prepared me for the insanity that is college level riding," he joked, also forgetting their little dispute for the time being.

Before Anna could do anything else, Merida walked up to her, and to Anna's surprise, the advanced team captain began to talk to her, "Anna, I just wanted to commend you on your ride at the tryouts. We chose you for the team because you handled Delaney so well. The way the shows are designed, you'll be riding different horses who you've never seen before, so you need to be prepared to deal with horses of all different personalities and temperaments. And you handled Delaney's unpredictability rather outstandingly."

"Th-thanks," Anna stammered, honored to be getting such praise from the renowned team captain.

And when Anna turned to go, for a brief and unintended moment, she caught Elsa's eye over Merida's shoulder.

And besides the fact that the gaze was now slightly less icy than it had been before, Anna could have sworn that she had seen the senior give her a small nod…of approval?

It was perplexing, considering Elsa had just told the entire team, whether they had understood or not, that Anna's ride at the tryouts had been chaotic.

But right now, Anna was too elated to care.

She had made the team, and that was all that mattered.

* * *

That night, Kristoff hadn't mentioned anything about the 'Hans issue' as he had said he would. Either he had actually forgotten in the midst of the excitement, or, more likely, he didn't want to ruin Anna's moment of happiness. Considering she had been a complete wreck of nerves and anxiety and embarrassment for the past forty eight hours, he had probably just given her time to revel in the moment of glory.

But by the time Friday morning rolled around and they were walking to the dining hall together for a quick breakfast before Anna biked over to Starbucks for work, he brought up the subject again, keeping his voice low so that no one would catch wind of their conversation.

"So about what I wanted to tell you last night," Kristoff said, "The students on my floor talk about Hans all the time. And they don't say very nice things, either."

"Like what," Anna challenged.

"He's…how do I put this kindly…a player."

Anna almost laughed aloud, "I never in a million years would have thought I'd hear you say that word."

"Anna it's not funny. You heard him. He has _twelve_ older brothers. He needs to do something to 'impress'."

The impact of her best friend's words really set in at this point.

"I'll take care of myself," Anna told him, "I promise. But I need to give him a chance. Just because people talk, doesn't mean it's true."

"I just hope you know what you're getting yourself into," Kristoff sighed.

Anna said nothing else as she walked through the doors and into the dining hall. Through breakfast, they turned the conversation to classes, but neither could forget the air that was left by the previous conversation about Hans, and the walk back to their dorm building was silent.

"Well, I'll see you later," Kristoff said.

"See you," Anna said as she grabbed her bike from the rack in front of her dorm building.

Cutting through the parking lot and onto the sidewalk, she pedaled the distance to the Starbucks.

And she wished she had a car.

And then she remembered that it was either a car, or college.

Or more like, a car or riding.

But…it was only ten minutes of her life. She would live. And it was all worth it in the end; save the earth, go green. Think optimistic.

Because it was going to be a good day. As opposed to Monday nights, when she worked five hours straight, she only worked two and a half hours this morning.

And she had a date this afternoon. It was something to look forward to, although she found herself not quite as excited as she had been before with a small, uneasy feeling growing in her stomach as Kristoff's words still swirled in her mind.

 _A good day_ , Anna thought as she opened the door and checked herself in.

She talked briefly with the other girl on her shift—both of them took orders at the counter. Even though it was one of the smaller coffee shops of the franchise, it was definitely busy, so there were two of them taking orders at all times.

And this meant that there weren't insanely long lines, and that Anna had a chance to breathe every now and then.

 _Yes. It's definitely a good day_.

That was, until _she_ walked in.

Was this inevitable?

It so could have been avoided. It was like she was following Anna _everywhere_. She showed up in the most obscure of places that Anna could be; exactly during _Anna's_ tryouts, right in the middle of Anna's _freshman_ chemistry lab, and now, right at the beginning of Anna's work shift.

 _Please don't let me be the one to take her order. Please don't make me talk to her. Please, please, please, please_ —

If only she could have been so fortunate.

The blonde didn't even look up when she ordered, instead opening her wallet and taking out a credit card in advance, "I'll just have an iced—" but when she did look up, there was the briefest of hesitations before she said, "coffee."

"Okay. Right. Iced coffee. That'll be 1.95."

Elsa handed Anna the credit card, and Anna momentarily forgot how in the world to use it.

But she snapped out of it, moved on autopilot, and handed the card back to Elsa.

And Elsa said absolutely nothing else.

 _Why does this always have to happen to me? And then I can't even act right. Like she'll think anything that I do is ridiculous. She already_ does _think that everything I do is ridiculous._

So much for her good day.

Anna sighed as she constructed the drink.

It just had to be her. All the time.

She put the lid on the drink, and was in the middle of handing it to Elsa when…

 _Crap_!

"Um, you know what? I think I accidentally put chocolate in here too. Just give me a minute and I'll make you a new one," Anna said, completely and utterly annoyed at the fact that she just couldn't seem to do anything right when Elsa was around.

 _See, this is what happens when you get distracted. You think about these things too much and you're lucky that you have half a brain that actually notices your mistakes._

And she was so busy with her internal monologue that she didn't quite register the fact that the iced coffee was no longer in her hand; the blonde had already taken it.

"That's okay. I like chocolate," Elsa said, and after taking a straw from the counter, she turned to leave, Anna staring after her.

 _What just even happened!?_

* * *

"So what are you going to wear?"

Anna was exhausted beyond belief. Who knew that her morning shift could take such a toll?

"I have absolutely no clue," Anna groaned.

"I'd say…something sort of casual. Because it's not really a _date_ date. But not something _too_ casual."

"You know what, Punz?" Anna smiled at her roommate, "Why don't you just pick something out for me. I need fifteen minutes to chill. I should have told him two. Not an hour after my shift was over."

"I'm on it!" Rapunzel exclaimed, all too eager to throw together an outfit.

Anna remained flopped on the bed, not even dragging herself to her feet until she was certain that she would agree to whatever insane combination of clothing her roommate was putting together.

"So what about this?" Rapunzel asked.

It was a purple top, slightly ruffled at the bottom (which had clearly come from Rapunzel's closet and not her own), and a pair of black leggings.

"And I was thinking that flats would like nice with it, too."

"I approve," Anna grinned, "And plus I'm too exhausted to argue."

But only forty minutes later, all of her exhaustion had been extinguished, replaced with nothing but excitement as Anna made her way to the café which was located on the first floor of one of the main campus buildings. She had only been there once before, passing by to get a chocolate bar on the way to one of her classes. The first week was barely over, and she'd already diminished the stash of chocolate she had in her room by at least half.

But now, here she was again, walking towards the café…and for a completely different reason. Because there in the left corner of the café, having already saved them a table, was Hans. And just his smile was enough to erase any remaining thoughts of anxiety.

"Here's your helmet," she said, offering it back to him, "You really saved me that day. I don't know what I would have done without it."

"It was no problem at all," he said, "If you know what you want, I can order for you."

Seriously, what did she have to worry about? He was such a gentleman.

"That'd be great. I'll have a sandwich."

"Any particular kind?"

"Uh…" Anna gave it some thought and then said, "Whatever looks good. As long as it's a sandwich, I'll eat it."

"Really?" Hans laughed, "Me too."

Anna smiled again as he got into line.

He was really nice. And she could be herself around him without feeling like an idiot—something that was not quite possible around certain unmentioned others.

When he returned, they talked about so many different things, from Hans' twelve brothers, to horses, to Anna's life at home. And when they were finished, he offered to walk her back to her dorm.

He opened the door for her, even though his dorm was still a few yards further down campus.

"Thanks," Anna said.

"Well, you know what they say…"

"What do they say?" Anna gave him a quizzical look.

"Love…is an open door," he smiled.

Anna laughed, "You totally just made that up."

"Maybe," he said jokingly, his radiant smile never leaving his face, "maybe not."

* * *

 **A/n:** Oh, Hans. We don't like Hans… :p But sorry for ending the chapter with their outing. I didn't quite know where else to end it. Just remember that he's in the story for a reason—which will be evident later on.

And regarding a question from the reviews: for the scheduling for the team, I based it on my experience with my school's team. It's a huge commitment, so you're actually expected to free your schedule for team meetings and lessons and shows that have already been predetermined. And you're not really given a detailed list of the dates until after tryouts. It sounds crazy, though a lot of them are held at night or on the weekends and only a handful of students have night classes. That's why a lot of people decide to join as part of the club so that they can fit lessons into their schedules at whatever time they want without feeling pressured.

Thanks for reading :)


	4. Chapter 4

The email with the information that had been covered at the team meeting came that night.

And in short, it meant one of two things. Either Anna would have to get _another_ part time job in order to pay for the weekly Tuesday and Friday night lessons that began in a week, or she would have to quit the team and ride as part of the club.

"Why is it so much money?" Anna sighed.

"Well, you know I'd offer to help you out—"

"Kristoff, that is out of the question," Anna told him pointedly.

She was sitting in his dorm room, where they had been watching some random TV show while talking about their classes. But then she'd gotten the email notification on her phone—which she suddenly had the urge to hurl across the room.

It just wasn't _fair_!

"Well, there's also what Merida was talking about at the meeting," Kristoff said, "I don't think they put it in the email."

"What do you mean?" Anna was confused.

"They said that if anyone thought that they'd have trouble paying, to email your respective team captain and that you'd be able to work something out," Kristoff informed her.

 _Oh, right_ , Anna remembered, _I stopped listening the second I heard how much the lessons were_.

"I'm going to email Flynn right now," Anna said, "And hopefully settle everything before the first lesson."

"You've got a week," Kristoff reassured her, "Everything's going to work out."

And, indeed, everything did work out…just not quite in the way that Anna had expected.

Flynn had gotten back to her two days later, offering her something that he had worked out for her that would cut the cost of each of her lessons in half; a now manageable price.

Anna would work at Arendelle Riding Academy twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays.

Which gave her the inevitable and much displeasing opportunity to run into Elsa during her work _again_.

But she couldn't say no.

She couldn't let some stuck-up senior keep her from riding on the team. This was something that Anna had dreamed about! The one thing that had drawn her to this college to begin with!

Her work began this Thursday, before the lessons started.

And during chemistry on Wednesday, Elsa made no mention of Anna working the following day, and didn't once acknowledge their awkward encounter at Starbucks.

In fact, she barely talked at all, which was no surprise to Anna. But when she _did_ say something…she sure knew how to get her point across.

If the senior wanted Anna to get her something, Anna got it. If the she wanted Anna to write something down, Anna wrote it. If she wanted Anna to get out of her way, Anna got out of her way; this Elsa never had to ask twice.

And never once did she ask Anna to take any measurements, or perform any technical part of the experiment. Never once did she ask Anna's opinion.

 _Queen's orders_ , Anna rolled her eyes.

Whatever Elsa said was the right answer, and if it wasn't—well, Anna had yet to find out what would happen if it wasn't. Every calculation that the senior would write on their lab report, Anna quickly learned, would be rewarded with nothing short of a hundred percent when it was graded.

And Anna, although she most certainly would have helped more if asked, could only attempt to follow the precision; could only attempt to understand why the orange liquid was being mixed with the yellow liquid and forming this solid thing that was somehow transcribed into words and numbers on the paper beneath Elsa's hands. Because if Anna asked the senior to slow down and explain something to her, she feared she might end up with a predicament not much different from Delaney's episode at the tryouts.

 _God. I just compared her to a moody mare_ , Anna's thoughts were, at this point, unable to be kept back, along with a small laugh that slipped out before she could contain it.

Elsa looked up from the paper, "Is there something you find funny?" she paused for a moment, and then said pointedly, "Because there's nothing that I find amusing about the fact that while I sit here and go through every calculation _for_ you, you insist on interrupting me."

It took every bit of Anna's strength not to laugh again in astonishment.

 _She's_ worse _than a moody mare._

* * *

Anna's phone buzzed the next morning, just as she was leaving her building for class. The message that she saw was from Hans.

 _Want to meet me for dinner in the dining hall tonight?_

Anna smiled at his message, and was about to accept the offer when she remembered that she had to leave at a quarter to five and spend three hours working at the barn.

 _I wish I could, but I can't. I'm working at the barn now. My first shift is tonight_.

Regretfully, Anna sent the message, choosing to leave out the part about _why_ she was working at the barn.

And after that, the day seemed to go downhill.

"Hey, at least you'll be around the horses," Kristoff told her as she grabbed her bike to head to the barn.

 _Yeah, but I'll be around Elsa, too_.

"I know," she said, "Hopefully I'll see you later."

It was a shorter bike ride than it was to Starbucks; it only took five minutes. It was definitely a walkable distance, but she preferred her bike, however ridiculous she looked pedaling in barn boots.

Anna left her bike outside the barn where the cars were usually parked, and then realized as she walked into the barn that she had no idea where the office was located. And she knew that she needed to find the office in order to sign in for her shift. So she walked through the barn and followed the aisle around the indoor arena in the hopes of finding the office, and there, because life answered her prayers _sometimes_ , was the office, all the way down past a supply closet.

But once she reached the door, Anna wondered if she was supposed to knock. The door was shut, but she was here to work. Surely she wouldn't want other people thinking that she expected them to do things for her—like opening the door for her.

 _And there you go again, analyzing everything imaginable. Just open the damn door._

Without giving it another thought, Anna did indeed open the door, walking into the office without hesitation.

And when she did she found Elsa.

Sitting at a computer.

Surrounded by so many papers that were organized in such an immaculate manner, Anna couldn't even begin to comprehend that it was possible.

And she was on the phone.

This was not what Anna had been expecting at _all_ when she'd (finally) come to terms with the fact that she would have to see Elsa for an extra six hours of her life each week.

But it all made sense.

Elsa was in charge of everything that fell under 'financial'. So of course, as a 'working student', Anna would be her responsibility. Actually, from the looks of it, it seemed as though Elsa practically ran the barn herself.

And so Elsa would be her…boss?

Not that the senior didn't automatically assume that role any other time they interacted, so this would be no different. No different at all.

With the exception of the fact that Elsa was currently wearing barn attire, it looked like this was shaping up to be _exactly_ like their chemistry lab…

"You're late," Elsa said once she put down the phone, "And don't you know how to knock?"

In the entirety of the situation, Anna was all of two minutes late. And it was _technically_ due to the fact that she had to wait for Elsa to finish her phone call.

"Sorry," Anna's voice came out softer than intended.

Was she really going to let Elsa push her around?

"You sign in on the clipboard on the wall when you come in and when you leave. The first thing you need to do is switch turnout. All the horses outside come in, and all the horses inside go out, unless otherwise noted. And that is extremely important. There is a chart in the feed room that has the requirements for all of the horses. If it's written on the chart that a horse is lame, sick, supposed to be in a lesson, or anything else out of the ordinary, do _not_ turn that horse out.

"Second, you are responsible for picking stalls. All twenty eight of them. And I hope you know what this entails—you're not spending time cleaning them completely or replacing the bedding; that gets done in the morning. And third, you are responsible for feeding the horses. The chart in the feed room that I mentioned before has everything written out.

"You are also expected to sweep the aisle—both the top and bottom levels—before leaving. If there are any problems, you are to let me know. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Anna said, barely even daring to breathe.

Without further instruction, Anna walked to the clipboard and penned her name and the time she had arrived. And she was halfway out of the office, just about to leave, when she heard Elsa say, "And I'd appreciate if you shut the door."

Anna wouldn't have been able to wipe the glare off of her face if she'd tried as she shut the office door a little more forcefully than necessary.

 _You don't appreciate anything I do._

* * *

By seven forty five, Anna had successfully finished nearly all of her jobs. As she swept the upper level, she listened to the sounds of the horses below her.

A huff. A whinny. The occasional grunt. The jostling of feed buckets.

In a way it was comforting; a small sense of normalcy amidst how foreign this entire barn was to a girl who was used to a small farm.

When she returned to the office after sweeping, she found that the door was closed. But she could tell that the light was off, and Elsa was nowhere to be seen.

 _Guess my knocking would fall on deaf ears_ , Anna thought as she pushed the door open, turned on the light, and made her way over to sign out. _As anything I say would, even if she were here._

It took her all of three seconds to write her name on that paper, but it was what she saw almost hidden in a corner behind it that made her stop in her tracks.

There was an entire bookcase in the corner of that office, with boxes of papers pushed up against it. It was filled with…trophies. And ribbons. And awards of every possible shape and size. Anna would have added 'color' to that list, but the ribbons were nearly all blue. Nothing short of first place. And right on top sat a picture that Anna had not seen walking in the first time—a picture that captured the moment of a small white Fjord pony, frozen in time, as he trotted regally across snow-covered pasture.

"So you show up late, and I still can't get rid of you even after your shift has ended?"

Anna cringed at the words.

 _Dammit, why do you always have to do things like this? You really thought you could get away with snooping around her office?_

Anna turned to face Elsa. Her boss. Her lab partner. Her classmate. Or… _whatever_ she was to Anna at this point.

And at first she was just going to apologize again.

But then…she had a better idea.

She was already walking on thin ice; what more did she have to lose? And so she spoke on impulse, without really thinking.

"Is he yours?"

The question, as Anna had suspected, caught Elsa off guard, and the senior's eyes widened slightly, looking first to the picture, and then back to Anna.

Of course Elsa hadn't been expecting Anna to ask her such a question. Anna was entirely sure that every single person in her own place would be too intimidated to even look Elsa in the eye.

Although Elsa's icy composure seemed to melt the slightest bit, she covered up her shock in an instant. And the words she spoke were short and curt, "He was."

And instead of walking into the office, she turned around and left the barn.

* * *

When Anna arrived at the barn for her first lesson, she was nearly as nervous as she had been for her tryout. And her nerves were amplified by the fact that she didn't know anyone else on the novice team. She didn't even know who she was going to be assigned to ride!

 _But I guess that's an answer you'll get in a matter of minutes_ , Anna thought as she made her way up to the lounge.

On the table, she saw a paper where her name was written next to a horse named Titan.

"I vaguely remember turning him out yesterday," she mused aloud as she searched for an empty locker for her bag.

Then, looking back at the list, she decided to figure out who exactly her two other teammates were. They were listed by first name only. The first was Belle and the second was Olaf.

Seeing Olaf's name, she gave a little sigh of relief that she'd know someone before she went to go find Titan and hopefully tack him properly this time. And thankfully, he was one of those horses that only needed the usual saddle and bridle. She led Titan into the arena, where she was pleased to find that the lesson went smoothly, and definitely much more relaxed than the tryouts. Although large and somewhat speedy, Titan was content to listen to Anna's every cue both during flatwork and jumping.

And when the lesson was over, Olaf came up to her, taking off his helmet to reveal hair sticking out in every direction—including right up from the middle of his head.

"You're Anna, right?" he said, grinning broadly.

"That's me," Anna told him.

"I thought I remembered you."

"Well, I definitely remember you," Anna laughed, "You were the only one to talk to me and Kristoff the first day of orientation."

"Yeah I guess that's right," Olaf said, but then he changed topics abruptly, "But I have to go talk to Elsa and I was wondering if you've seen her."

"No, sorry," Anna said.

 _Thank God._

Because after what Anna had said to her last night, she was sure that the next time the blonde saw her, she would make her pay for it.

"But she's probably in her office," she offered.

"Probably," Olaf agreed, "Thanks, Anna."

"Sure," she said, watching Olaf walk down the aisle that she had so tediously swept the day before.

And as he walked away, she couldn't help but wonder if he would notice the picture in that office.

The one that Anna just couldn't stop _thinking_ about.

The little Fjord pony looked so beautiful and gentle—reminding her so much of her old lease horse, Chip.

And after the way Elsa had reacted to Anna's question, there was only one explanation that Anna could come up with to justify the senior's actions, and it was something that Anna also couldn't stop thinking about, no matter how hard she tried.

Elsa—the same cold and seemingly indifferent Elsa who had nothing but criticism and orders to direct at her ever since Anna had arrived—had once cared very much about something.

* * *

 **A/n:** So Elsa's just one big mystery at the moment. Lots of questions…and not a lot of answers. Yet ;)

Anyway, here are some horse terms:

Lame: It's a rather broad term. It covers anything that would change the horse's gait. It's also anything that would affect the horse's ability to perform required tasks. In essence, it means that the horse is injured, just more severely than just a scrape or a cut.

Flatwork: Basically any exercise that doesn't involve jumping (hence 'flat').

And it's more of an idea than a term, but I'll explain the whole 'moody mare' thing in case you were all confused by that. It's a common assumption in the horse world that mares, no matter what mood they're in, always look and act annoyed. Or that they're "always angry". Kind of an appropriate analogy to make with Elsa at the moment for the purposes of masked emotion.

Thanks for reading :)


	5. Chapter 5

"Anna, the _door_."

It was about the fifth time she had come in for work.

And she still kept forgetting to close that damn door behind her, every single time she left. She remembered to knock, but could she remember to close it?

No.

Sighing, she turned and let the door click shut behind her.

At least Elsa had addressed her by name—for once.

Not bothering to dwell on it, she instead focused her mind on other things, first and foremost being her job. She brought the horses in, and turned the rest of the horses out. Then she grabbed one of the wheelbarrows from the shed, hauled a pitchfork out of the supply closet, and began going down the stalls one by one. And even though she was literally ankle deep in horse crap, she didn't care. She loved spending time with the horses; the docile, easygoing horses that let her into their stalls for a few minutes always brightened her mood.

The fact that she could be so close to such an amazing animal was always something that was unfathomable to Anna. Here she was, shoulder to shoulder with a creature that could crush her if it wanted to, yet instead allowed her to share the wooden box of territory that was the only thing it could call its own.

But also by now, she knew well enough which horses would run her out of their little pieces of territory in seconds—the ones who greeted her with pinned back ears, or a threatening snap of the teeth.

And Anna worked patiently with them.

She would talk to them in a calm tone; let them examine her hands before she attempted to halter them. Usually, she would end up putting these antsy horses on the crossties, knowing that by doing so, she was most likely dodging a kick or two, or a bite on the arm. But once she was finished dealing with these horses, she could spend some extra time with the select few horses she had taken a liking to.

As she worked, she found herself actually enjoying what she was doing; it was all to be on the show team after all, and the first show was coming up in a few short weeks.

In the days leading up to those weeks, so far, her jobs were going smoothly.

Her lessons were great—a way to let out her stress; to let her focus on nothing but herself, her riding, and the horse for an entire hour, which was something that was a rarity in the midst of insane college life.

But her classes weren't too difficult, either. The resulting grades of her first exams had been on the better side, which Anna had been pleasantly surprised about.

She had had another date with Hans that went perfectly.

Or rather, with her usual amount of optimism, she'd taken to calling it a date, since he'd asked her out again—to dinner this time. So she assumed that this meant that they were together, even though she really knew nothing at all about relationships. They hadn't kissed…yet. But as of right now she was going to call it a relationship, even if it was in its very beginning stages. And she knew that this feeling was mutual.

And so things, it seemed, were going well.

* * *

Anna was assigned to Delaney again for her eighth lesson.

"But I was told to tell you to ride without her martingale," Weselton told her.

"Do you know why?" Anna asked.

"It was just noted here on the horse assignments, so I wanted to make sure you that you knew."

 _Okay_ _then. Round two with crazy mare._

She quickly saddled and bridled Dee, and brought her to the arena.

Not falling for any of the chestnut's crazy antics, Anna kept a firm grip on the reins as she adjusted her stirrups, and then circled the mare so that they were far away from the other two horses in the lesson.

Dee's energetic trot, she could tell, was about to break into a canter at any moment, but Anna sat firmly, not letting the mare get away with anything.

"Now I want you all to canter once around the ring before we start jumping, but I think it would be best to go one at a time, so that Delaney doesn't chase down the other horses."

Anna gave her trainer a grateful look.

 _You don't even know how happy that just made me_.

She knew that if trying to control Dee's canter alone was difficult, it would be ten times harder with two other horses in the arena for the crazy mare to go running after.

Olaf, riding Titan, went first, and Belle went second.

And then it was Anna's turn.

"Let's make this a little more organized than the first time," Anna whispered to the mare, whose ears flicked back in Anna's direction.

Anna sat the chestnut's bouncy trot, and Dee needed only the slightest of cues to start cantering in the corner.

Well, calling it a 'canter' would have been an understatement. Dee shot off like a bullet beneath her, and when Anna attempted to half halt the mare, she only tossed her head up high—an act, Anna knew, that the martingale would have prevented. Anna felt almost like she was riding a rodeo pony, but she followed Dee's crazy fast canter as if velcroed into the saddle; she had dealt with too many stubborn horses to let Dee get away with this.

And so Anna did something that sounded contradictory, but knew was right.

She softened her grip on the reins, giving Dee her head.

And she let the mare get it out of her system, bolting down the long end of the arena, before she used her leg to get her to slow down.

Only after she felt Dee's strides shorten did she once again attempt to give small half halts and bring the mare down to the trot, and then to the walk.

"Well done, Miss Summers," Weselton praised. "Now I've set up a small course. I want you to, one at a time of course, start with the outside line, followed by the diagonal fence, and then change directions across the diagonal to the single vertical set up next to the wall.

Anna mentally drew lines from the first jump all the way to the last, outlining the pattern, and then visualized it as Olaf began the course. He and Belle both had smooth rounds with only minor missteps.

And Anna knew that her problem with Dee would come in the beginning, getting the mare to slow in front of the second jump, and also towards the end, making sure that Dee listened to her cues to change directions. But Anna was determined; once she set her mind to something, she knew she could accomplish anything. And after all, she _had_ managed to jump Dee at the tryouts without the martingale, so she shouldn't be nervous.

Anna circled Dee, making sure she had the mare's attention (or at least as much of it as she ever could) before asking for the canter. And her difficulties arose just where she had identified them earlier. After landing from the first jump, Dee hit the gas pedal.

Hard.

 _And who told you that you could do that?_ Anna thought to the insane mare.

She couldn't give Dee rein like she had previously in front of the jump because their takeoff wouldn't be set up right. So Anna was forced to pull back on the reins more than she would have liked to.

Dee tossed her head in the air before the jump, and at first Anna thought that she would refuse, but Anna urged her on with her heels, and the mare launched herself over the one foot vertical as if it were a mountain.

Anna, unprepared for a jump so large, ended up leaning on Dee's neck in order to keep herself upright, and the mare, feeling how unbalanced her rider was, threw in a small buck just for spite. But Anna stuck it out, readjusting her left foot that had come dangerously close to sliding completely out of the stirrup, and continued asking Dee to turn across the diagonal.

Luckily, the diagonal jump was only a crossrail—meaning that instead of a pole straight across like a vertical would have, the two poles formed an 'x' so that the middle of the jump was lower.

But after landing, Anna half halted Dee again, using her leg to bend the mare through the turn, only lengthening the reins once they were going straight along the long side of the arena.

And then suddenly…Dee felt like a different horse beneath her.

After their tug-of-war battle, Dee was satisfied with the release of the reins, content with the small amount of contact that Anna had on the bit.

Dee slowed her stride, and dropped her head, taking the full five strides that Anna had counted to approach the fence. She took off without hesitation, and when she landed, she didn't protest to circling back down to the trot. Anna patted the mare's neck, proud of both Dee's newfound willingness to listen, and also, of herself.

She had gained Dee's full attention—and dare she say, respect?

Anna walked Dee to the back of the line to wait for her turn to go over the course again. She was about to lean down and give Dee another pat, when she noticed something out of the corner of her eye.

A movement of from the second level above the arena; the back of a blonde braid disappearing into the tack room.

And suddenly it all fell into place.

Dee no longer needed that martingale because Anna may have just finally gained the respect of a certain someone else.

* * *

"Anna, please make that God awful noise stop or so help me the one and only day you get to sleep late I will blare music like there is no tomorrow."

Although Rapunzel's threat was muffled by a pillow, Anna knew that when it came to sleeping in, her roommate took it as seriously as her life.

Well, that and her inanely long hair.

"Ugh," Anna groaned, rolling over to slap the alarm clock, "Fine."

She was most certainly not a morning person.

It took her about half an hour to get out of bed and tame the hair that stuck out from all sides of her head, leaving her ten minutes to throw on whatever she deemed comfortable enough to traipse around campus in, grab a quick breakfast from the dining hall, and run to her chemistry lab.

She got into the classroom with a minute to spare, throwing her books onto the table noisily beside Elsa's just as the professor began talking. And not even a minute had passed after the professor had finished introducing the lab to the class before Elsa was already instructing her to hold the test tube, which contained a metal that was to be melted in a liquid solution over the Bunsen burner on the lab table.

"So, uh, I read the lab in advance," Anna said, holding the solution carefully so that she wouldn't drop it. Anna hadn't planned on really talking to Elsa today, after what had happened in the office with the picture, but once again, her mouth had a mind of its own.

"Did you?" Elsa asked, but it was less of a question and more of a haphazard comment.

"Yeah. I did. I wouldn't have said so if I hadn't."

Well, even for Anna's notorious ability to speak without thinking, that had been a very… _straightforward_ comment. What did Anna think she was doing?

"I never said you were lying," Elsa said levelly.

 _Oh_ , _so this is what it comes down to. She needs to have the last word. Always in control. Like with everything else_. _But if you want to play that way, Elsa, then challenge accepted._

"Well now we're just being a bit presumptuous. No one ever said anything about lying at all," Anna said innocently.

Elsa narrowed her eyes, but Anna could have sworn she saw the beginnings of a smirk tugging at the blonde's lips.

" _You_ were the one who started defending yourself, thinking I was accusing you of something."

"Oh, what's this now? You were going to _accuse_ me of something?"

"I never said that," Elsa was definitely not going to back down, "I only mentioned that you thought that I would."

At this point, Anna wasn't even sure she could keep up with Elsa's logic. But she had finally gotten Elsa to talk to her; to hold an almost _normal_ conversation with her—as normal as anything with Elsa could be, anyway.

"Well, I think if that you're going to accuse me of something then you'd better do it already," Anna challenged, looking right into Elsa's blue eyes.

 _Let's see you take orders from me for a change._

Elsa didn't look away, but she paused for a moment, before finally saying, "You're going to set our experiment on fire."

"What?"

Elsa reached over Anna's arm and turned off the burner, brushing Anna's hand with her own in the process, which caused a rather involuntary shiver to run down Anna's spine. But the redhead ignored it, too focused on the entirety of the situation to care.

"I accuse you of almost setting our experiment on fire," Elsa repeated.

Anna may not have been listening so intently the first time, but she had been listening enough to know that Elsa had not initially prefaced her sentence with the first three words that she had added to the new one.

 _Elsa_ had actually done something that _Anna_ had told her to do.

Even if it was over something so ridiculously trivial.

"But…I didn't!" Anna said proudly in response to the senior's comment.

Elsa only gave her another disapproving look, but Anna figured that while she had the senior's attention, she may as well try something else. Elsa had let her ride Dee without a martingale…so did that mean she would be willing to give Anna more responsibility in the classroom setting as well?

Anna couldn't help the fact that her voice came out timidly. But regardless, it still retained a sense of authority. She needed to say this; desperately needed to know the answer, "And so…since I'm already holding the test tube you wouldn't mind, then, if I measured out five milliliters of the solution like the lab manual instructs?"

And Elsa looked at her.

 _Really_ looked at her.

And a million things seemed to flash in her eyes: anger, annoyance, indignation, shock, confusion.

Her mouth opened, as if to say something, but then it was pressed into a thin line without letting anything out.

And then those blue eyes just seemed to…soften.

"No," Elsa chose her words very carefully, "I wouldn't mind."

And Anna had to bite her lip to fight the smile that was threatening to grow across her face.

Never before had she been so excited to perform a step of a chemistry experiment.

Elsa had _finally_ let her do something; given up control for the first time in what seemed like forever.

 _Mission accomplished._

* * *

 **A/n:** So I know this chapter was short. Life and work and school are crazy hectic at the moment, although I mostly blame the workload that comes with my classes for my insanity. Regardless, though, I'm pretty happy with the way the chapter turned out! I promise the next one will be longer :)

Here's a horse term: crossties. Basically, they're attached to the wall, and then you attach them to either side of the horse's halter so that you can work with the horse in the aisle instead of in a stall.

And also…big things will be happening next chapter ;)

Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

"So you won't even _believe_ who I talked to this morning," Rapunzel gushed the following Tuesday afternoon, when Anna was trying to complete her English paper before leaving for her lesson.

"Right, because by the way you're talking, I'd _never_ guess," Anna grinned at her roommate.

Rapunzel narrowed her eyes playfully, crossing her arms, "Well, fine then, if you don't want to know, I'll just go tell someone else."

"No!" Anna cried, laughing now, "Tell me what he said!"

"Well, it wasn't really anything much," Rapunzel grew a bit more embarrassed now.

"Is that so?" Anna rolled over from where she had been laying across her bed with her laptop, and reached out just enough to poke Rapunzel in the side, "There is _so_ much more to it than that."

"Okay! Fine!" Rapunzel said, "So I was just walking along in the dining hall, trying to find a place to sit to eat because I actually had, like, twenty minutes before my class. And naturally, there was just about _nowhere_ to sit. I was about to take everything back here to the room when I heard someone say 'there's a seat open here'. And I almost didn't turn around because who would be talking to me? I'm just a freshman, and I didn't know _anyone_ who was sitting in there. But I turned around anyway, just in case for some insane reason someone really _had_ been talking to me, and there he was. Sitting at the table that I had just walked past, that, as he said, had one open seat.

"Of course, he was sitting with a few of his friends, and I was like 'are you sure?' and he said 'it wouldn't be a problem at all'. And so I sat down because I couldn't leave after I'd just talked to him. And then he introduced himself—even though of course I already knew who he was—but _he_ didn't know that I knew who he was, obviously. And then he started telling me how much he liked my hair and—"

"Okay, if you talk any more you're going to hyperventilate," Anna laughed, " _Breathe_."

Rapunzel then made an overly dramatized scene of taking in a huge breath, and then letting it out, "So anyway, Flynn started talking about horses. And he was telling me all about this one horse that they use to have at Arendelle named Maximus, who absolutely _hated_ him for some reason. But then the horse was sold, ironically just when he realized that all he needed to do was give the horse a few apples to get on his good side. And _then_ we somehow actually ended up talking about you. Because we were talking about roommates—"

At this Anna raised her eyebrow pointedly.

"Don't worry! All good things!" Rapunzel held up her hands innocently. She took another breath and seemed to settle down, Anna being grateful that her roommate had seemingly decided to spare the rest of the details of what would have most likely turned into a half hour long conversation, "But all in all it was one of the best reasons for waking up at eight in the morning."

"That's great," Anna said.

"And then he said that I could possibly come with him to one of the horse shows!" Rapunzel squealed, not able to hold it back any longer.

"Punz, that's awesome," Anna smiled again.

"So I guess I'll see you there, too," Rapunzel said. "It's your home show, right?"

Anna nodded. The home show meant that the place where the team practiced—in their case, Arendelle Riding Academy—would host the competition. All of the other competition teams for the other participating colleges would travel to Arendelle Riding Academy and ride the horses there.

Which also meant that Anna's team would be responsible for prepping all of the horses for the show.

That was going to be a _very_ long morning.

"What am I supposed to wear?" Rapunzel asked.

Anna rolled her eyes, "Seriously? It's in two weeks. Do we _have_ to discuss this now?"

"Maybe. No," Rapunzel sighed, but then, contrary to her previous subdued response, blurted, "Yes!"

"Ugh," Anna groaned, "If we do this now, I'm going to be late for my lesson. But don't forget that you at least need to wear _boots_ , okay? Don't show up there in flats or heels."

And although Anna was joking—of course Rapunzel knew _that_ much about what to wear in a barn—her roommate nodded her head vigorously, in tune with every single word that Anna was saying.

* * *

Dee was less of a nutcase that night. Anna finally got the mare to carry her head properly for most of the lesson.

And also for most of the lesson…she found herself looking for Elsa on that second level. But every time she looked up, she was disappointed—actually _disappointed—_ to find that the senior was nowhere to be seen.

 _She's probably just busy_ , Anna thought. _And why do you even care, anyway?_

"I don't care," Anna told herself, as she was untacking Dee in her stall after the lesson, "I _don't_ care."

"What don't you care about?"

Anna whipped her head around to find Olaf standing there.

"Huh?" Anna asked, although she had clearly heard Olaf.

"I said what don't you care about?" Olaf repeated.

It seemed innocent enough when he asked it.

But Anna didn't know how to answer him. She couldn't tell him what she had been thinking this entire time. Because even if she did, then she would have to explain to him every single little thing that had happened between the two of them from the first time she met Elsa all the way up to this very day.

"Um, I was just thinking about how I don't care that…Delaney no longer has a martingale. Since she's being halfway decent and all."

"Oh, yeah, I was wondering about that! How it was you who could manage her without it, and now you're the only one who gets to ride her. I wonder if it was Elsa who decided that Delaney doesn't need it anymore."

 _Elsa had_ everything _to do with it_.

But she gave Olaf a small shrug and said, "Maybe."

"You should ask her."

"Uh…I don't think that'd be such a good idea. She might not necessarily… _appreciate_ that," Anna said, ending her words there.

"Why not? I bet that once you get to know her she's the kindest, sweetest, nicest—oh look, here she comes! We can ask her now!"

"Olaf."

He ignored her.

" _Olaf_."

Olaf turned around.

"Not right now, okay?"

Olaf sighed, "Okay, suit yourself."

And without another word, he walked off.

"Why is it that every time he talks to me, it's about Elsa?" Anna whispered to Dee, turning back to the mare as she finished removing the saddle.

And she didn't turn around until she was sure she heard the aisle clear of footsteps; she didn't know if Elsa had heard anything that Olaf had said, but she didn't know if she could talk to her at the moment even if Elsa hadn't heard anything.

* * *

Chem lab was cancelled the next morning.

Anna received the email after she had woken up and gotten dressed, just for spite.

 _Oh well_ , she thought. _More time to do homework_.

But a part of her was disappointed.

She had actually been looking forward to her lab.

 _Looking forward to talking to Elsa again._

Almost in the way that she had been disappointed that Elsa hadn't been watching her lesson; but then again, it was also for a different reason. Because there was just something about the way that Elsa acted away from the barn—almost like Anna could see a whole different side of her.

Anna sighed, putting her books back down on her bed and sitting down beside them.

What was it about Elsa that made Anna even _want_ to get to know her better?

Why had Anna gotten so excited last week when Elsa let her do something in the lab?

Why was it that Anna wanted Elsa to give up her control; her reign?

Why did Anna _care_?

She sighed.

 _Some things are just…too complicated._

* * *

And as it turned out, some things really _were_ just too complicated.

Or idiotically simple; whichever adjective fit the events of the following day the best.

They had gone out twice! _Twice_ , before the reality of Kristoff's statements about Hans came crashing down on Anna as the truth.

"I should have listen to you," Anna cried, knowing that this whole problem could have been avoided had she indeed heeded her best friend's warnings. But it didn't change the fact that what was done was done. She was completely miserable, her tear-stained face buried in her pillows, as Kristoff sat on the edge of her bed, "but I was so...so blinded…he was just so… _perfect_."

"Anna he's the _furthest_ thing from perfect," Kristoff said bitterly. And although Anna couldn't see his face, she imagined it contorted into a worried and angry frown, "He's the reason you're so upset, and I can't stand seeing you like this. Man, do I just want to-"

"No, Kristoff!" Anna exclaimed, sitting up abruptly, while attempting to wipe her tears away, "He doesn't even know that I know!"

"Anna, I'm not going to let you stay in this relationship, especially when you've been together less than a month and he's already cheating on you!" Kristoff was outraged, "If you're not going to let me deal with him, then you need to end it."

"God, Kristoff. I know," Anna's voice broke.

And Kristoff lowered his voice, wrapping a protective arm around her, "Hey, I'm sorry. I just…I hate how upset he's made you."

Upset was an understatement.

It was a million levels of upset that she never knew she could feel.

All she could see in her mind was Hans, kissing that other girl. Right in the middle of the dining hall. He hadn't even seen Anna—hadn't seen her walk in, and then take off running for her dorm room.

"I never want to see him again," Anna whispered.

"I could arrange for that."

Anna had no doubt that Kristoff could. And would, considering his reaction to everything.

"No, you're right," Anna said, "I'm the one who needs to end this. I can't let him see how much he's hurt me. I need to stand up for myself."

Kristoff nodded, "You can't let him break you, okay? I've known you practically my entire life. You're brave. You're strong. You can face him."

"And you know what?" Anna said, her voice growing louder as she stood, "I'm finished crying over him. He's not worth it. He's the one who's wrong, not me! I shouldn't be the one upset—he should!"

"That's more like the Anna I know," Kristoff managed a small smile.

"That's right! He's going _down_!" Anna declared.

Then she paused, and her brief moment of confidence slowly died down, "But…I don't know how to make that happen."

"You need to confront him," Kristoff said, "In person."

"But _when_?" Anna said as she sat back down, "And _where_? And _what_ am I even supposed to say?"

"I know I can be quite the love expert sometimes," Kristoff joked, trying to diffuse the tension, "but I'm afraid the breakup phase isn't my forte."

"Oh, yeah," Anna rolled her eyes, "Some love expert indeed."

"Hey," Kristoff held up his hands in mock defense, "I already told you that I'd be more than happy to take care of it for you my way. But you said you didn't want me to. You need to be the one to end it. And so…if I were you, I'd march myself right up to that idiot and tell him what the hell he deserves to hear."

"Which is?"

"Everything you told me, just ten times more confidently."

"Fine," Anna sighed, "But for now…I need to clear my mind. I can't think about this anymore."

"I'm sure that our history class that starts in ten minutes will do a very good job of that," Kristoff attempted to joke again.

And he succeeded; a small smile had come to Anna's face for the first time in two hours, "It definitely will not."

"I'm all for staying here and watching mindless television shows while breaking into that stash of chocolate that I _know_ you're hiding somewhere in here."

"That sounds a lot better than history class," Anna's smile grew wider as she reached for the remote.

"Well, you know I'm only staying for the food. I wouldn't miss a lecture about world wars for _anything_ else."

Anna was actually laughing at this point.

She was so lucky to have a best friend who cared so much about her.

And so for the rest of the afternoon, Anna was able to forget about her worries.

But by the time she had to bike over to the barn for her shift, Anna was once again feeling upset.

She felt lethargic, dragging through her tasks.

And it was as if the horses sensed it. They would regard her with more concern and attention than they normally did when she entered their stalls, muzzles hovering the slightest second longer when Anna's hand reached out to offer a half-hearted rub on the nose, or a scratch behind the ears.

And apparently, when it rained, it poured. Because by the time Anna had finished her shift, after running out to bring the turned out horses in from the rain, the ground outside of the barn had turned to mud, and Anna was a mess; her jacket was soaked through, and her boots had turned from black to a murky brown that left footprints behind her as she walked into the office.

And she was about to leave as quickly as she had arrived, when she was stopped in her tracks.

"Do you…want a ride?"

Anna spun back around, shocked at the words she'd heard, but couldn't bring herself to give Elsa an appropriate answer in a timely manner as incredulous thoughts ran through her mind.

"I just figured since it's pouring. And you biked over here. And since you also seem a little…off today."

 _She actually noticed?_ Anna was amazed. _She actually knows that you bike here? And she actually notices that something's wrong?_

"I…uh…" Anna trailed off before finally managing, "Yeah. That would be great."

"I'm not sure your bike will fit in my car though. You might have to leave it here."

"That's okay," Anna said.

There was a slightly awkward silence after that as Elsa continued writing on a paper on her desk. The senior hadn't looked back up at Anna since the last time she had spoken. She merely finished writing, and was about to add the paper to a stack of identical ones on the corner of her desk when Anna spoke up again.

She didn't know where it had come from, or what had prompted her to say it.

But it came out anyway.

"Hans is cheating on me."

Elsa stopped everything that she had been doing, and looked up at Anna, who couldn't tell if Elsa was more surprised that Anna had spoken, or what the words themselves meant.

And the second Anna actually realized what she had said, she instantly attempted to string together an explanation, "Not that it's something you need to be concerned about. It's my own problem. I just…sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. I haven't been thinking much. At all. Clearly. But you had said that I seemed off today. So uh, yeah, that's why…" She trailed off lamely, looking to the floor.

 _God, Anna, for_ once _could you just pull it together!? She doesn't care about your relationship problems!_

"Well," Elsa said, still looking a little shocked at Anna's sudden outburst, "I'm…sorry to hear that."

 _Wait, what!? First she actually notices things that you never thought she'd be considerate enough to notice, and now she's actually_ sorry _about what happened even though you so very ungraciously blurted it out from the middle of nowhere?_

"Really, though. I shouldn't have said anything. You have enough going on in your life as it is," Anna still couldn't quite meet the senior's eye.

"Anna, it's fine," Elsa said as she got up from the desk, picking up her keys in the process. Then looking directly at Anna, she added, "Sometimes we all have something we need someone else to hear."

That was probably the most sentimental thing the senior had ever said to Anna, and it was all Anna could think about as the two of them left the office.

"My car is parked at the house and not down here," Elsa said as she reached for the jacket on the back of her chair.

"Walking for a minute in the rain is much better than biking back to campus in a downpour," Anna said, pulling the hood of her own jacket over her head.

The two walked quickly out of the barn, where Elsa led the way to a small silver car that was parked, just as the senior had said, right by the house.

When Anna stepped inside she said, "Wow, this is a nice car."

And it was—there was no doubt about that.

Completely forgetting herself for a _second_ time that evening, Anna propped both of her feet up on the passenger side of the dashboard, saying "It's so much nicer than my old bike."

"God, Anna, were you raised in a barn?"

 _Seriously, what the hell has gotten_ in _to you!?_

Anna's face turned a pale shade of pink as she immediately removed her feet, visibly cringing when she saw the small streaks of dirt that her boots had left behind. And she was so busy trying to come up with a way to apologize that she barely even registered the fact that Elsa was laughing.

She was _laughing_.

And then as if to prove that her comment was meant as a joke, Elsa reached over and wiped the dirt away with the end of her sleeve.

Which left Anna in complete shock.

She had just witnessed perfect, immaculate, spotless Elsa clean the dashboard with her _sleeve_.

"And you thought _I_ was raised in a barn?" Anna was so amused she forgot about her own embarrassment.

"It's called being _resourceful_ ," Elsa said as she backed the car out of its spot, "Which is the difference between being raised _next_ to a barn and _in_ a barn."

"I was _not_ raised in a barn!" Anna exclaimed.

"Okay, then where were you raised?"

"Maybe I was raised in a castle," Anna shot back.

"Oh, were you now?" A smile tugged at the corner of Elsa's lips, but she kept her eyes on the road, "And so were you the queen of this so-called 'castle'?"

"I was the _princess_ actually," Anna declared.

"And what did her royal highness do all that time in this castle before ending up at such an obscure little college campus?"

"Well…I talked to pictures," Anna said matter-of-factly.

"What?"

"I had absolutely _no_ one to talk to in my huge castle, so I talked to all the paintings on the walls."

"And they talked back."

"No, of course not!" Anna exclaimed, "That'd be ridiculous!"

Elsa laughed, "And you're just realizing this _now_?"

"No…I…I'm not…I don't know," Anna suddenly grew embarrassed again.

Where had all of this come from, anyway?

"You've got quite an imagination," Elsa said, turning to look at Anna. And it was only the fact that Elsa had taken her eyes off the road that made Anna realize that they were already in the campus' main parking lot.

That had been a very quick few minutes. Even for the barn being right around the corner from the college.

Anna only shrugged, "I guess."

"Well, I'll…see you on Sunday then?" Elsa said.

"Yeah," Anna said, as she reached for the door, "And thanks. For the ride."

Anna expected the senior to just brush it off. Say that it was no big deal; not a problem.

But she was genuinely surprised by Elsa's answer.

"Any time."

And Anna couldn't quite keep herself from thinking that she wouldn't mind if it rained more often.

* * *

 **A/n:** So I know that the thing with Anna and Hans was really abrupt but I didn't think I could spend any more time writing about the two of them being together :p Although I don't think you all mind too much.

But anyway, it's only the beginning of many changes for Anna. If only she knew how much more complicated it's all going to get…

Thanks for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

Anna really didn't know how she was going to deal with Hans. Or when.

She wouldn't have minded avoiding it for another week.

Or two.

Or three.

But she couldn't ignore his texts for much longer without him noticing that something was wrong. And she didn't think she could survive another day with Kristoff constantly reminding her that she needed to deal with the situation.

Her mind was restless—conflicting emotions continued to plague her. She was still angry, first and foremost. But she was also still upset. And she was nervous because she didn't know how to face him.

And, it seemed, the only time she could actually forget about her problems was when she was around Elsa.

Elsa was the only one who knew about what was going on, yet didn't continue to talk about it with her like Kristoff or Rapunzel. It was as if the senior avoided any topic about emotions entirely. And she didn't strike Anna as one of those people who constantly dwelled on everything. She just had this air about her: keep moving forward. No matter what. Just get back up and keep going.

 _I need to be more like that_ , Anna thought to herself as she walked from the dining hall back to her dorm room, even though at this point, Anna had successfully evaded the situation for about five days.

But, as life would have it, it would be avoidable for five days and no more.

Because there, walking directly towards her, with a large and _obviously_ fake smile on his face, was Hans.

It was all Anna could do to keep herself from visibly grimacing, or from running the other way.

 _Breathe, Anna. Just breathe._

"Hey, beautiful," Hans' smile only grew wider, "I texted you last night. I thought maybe we could go out again this weekend."

Anna felt her heart pounding.

"Hans…" She started, and then trailed off.

 _Confidence, Anna. You need to just get this over and done with._

"Hey, what's wrong," he said, immediately noticing the change in Anna's composure. He reached out to put an arm around Anna's shoulder, and that was when something snapped inside of her.

"No," Anna's voice grew slightly louder, "You don't get to touch me like that."

"Anna, _what_ is going on?" Hans asked, feigning innocence as he withdrew the hand that Anna had pushed away.

"You…I-I _saw_ you, Hans! You kissed that other girl. In the dining hall. You're _cheating_ on me!" Anna exclaimed.

"What are you talking about? How could you say that? I'd _never_ cheat on you!"

"Hans, I _saw_ you!"

"Well you _saw_ wrong," Hans said, "And now here you are accusing me of something this absurd. I can't even trust you."

 _And now he's going to turn it around and blame it on me! Make_ me _feel guilty when everything is his own fault!_

Anna's mind went wild as Hans continued to yell at her; continued to manipulate the situation to make it sound like _she_ was in the wrong for falsely accusing him of something without any substantial proof, and how _he_ was finished with _her_ because of it.

Her head was spinning and his words were going in one ear and out the other, and she barely knew what was going on; could barely register Hans' angry face in front of her; couldn't even look him in the eye; could barely remember where she was…Until she turned away from Hans for a brief moment, and saw a familiar face over her shoulder.

It was a slightly surprised face.

One that didn't linger for long, not wanting to stare at the scene that was already attracting quite a few glances.

But one that lingered for a second longer than necessary, with a gaze that caught Anna's eye.

Someone who reminded Anna that she couldn't let Hans break her; couldn't give Hans the satisfaction of giving into his warped words.

 _Elsa_.

Anna needed to stand her ground. She needed to show him that she wasn't afraid, even though she was quite terrified. She needed to take control of this situation; get his attention so that he was actually _listening_ to her. And then make him understand what a complete—

"— _idiot_ you are!"

Well now… _that_ was the last straw.

"Hans, the only idiot around here is _you_!" Anna snarled, "I _saw_ you. Hell, the entire _dining hall_ saw you. And you're going to act like it didn't happen? You're going to try to turn the situation around and blame _me_? Guilt me into thinking that I was wrong and that this is my fault, and that _you_ don't deserve _me_? You're unbelievable, and it's disgusting. You can't talk to me about _trust_. You don't even know what trust is! And you…you are _not_ allowed to dump me, Hans. _I_ am dumping _you_! And I don't care that the whole school gets to witness this. I don't care that everyone gets to see this. Because now everyone gets to see what a _horrible_ person you are! We're finished…even though there was really nothing much between us in the first place. But that's beside the point because we _are_ finished, do you understand!?"

Hans was stunned. And while Anna had had the urge to punch him in the face, she was fairly positive that her words had had enough of an impact.

She glared at him for a few seconds longer as the small group of staring students dispersed and went their separate ways.

But when everyone had left, and the two of them were standing there alone, Hans hissed, "I think we both have someone _else_."

And then before Anna could say anything more, he turned away.

 _After all that he gets away with the last word!_

She really did want to run after him and punch him in the face.

But she knew that would get her into much unwanted and unneeded trouble, and would only give Hans more satisfaction.

"Ugh!" Anna exclaimed when Hans was out of earshot, "That good for nothing son of a—"

"Anna!"

Anna turned instantly to the sound of her name, seeing Kristoff running in her direction.

Before she could say anything to her best friend about what had happened he was already talking, "I was coming from class but I heard everything. I heard people talking and I ran right here and I just wanted to make sure you were okay…" Kristoff trailed off, trying to catch his breath.

"I'm fine," Anna said, "He just _had_ to have the last word. But I'm fine. It's over."

Kristoff wrapped his arms around Anna, "I'm proud of you."

"I just don't understand what he said," Anna said over her best friend's shoulder, "He tried to twist the situation and make it look like I was in the wrong. And then when he finally realized that he couldn't get away with that, he told me that I had someone else, too."

Kristoff pulled away, and looked directly at Anna, "I don't want you worrying about a single thing he says. Okay? Forget about him. You weren't cheating on him. He was cheating on you."

"I _know_ that," Anna said, "But I just don't understand why he said that."

"Because he didn't want to be the only one in the wrong," Kristoff said, "You realized that yourself."

"And I'm not going to give it any more thought," Anna said decidedly.

Because the effects of what had happened suddenly just seemed to settle in.

Relief hit her; it was a huge weight off of her shoulders.

She was free.

Free from Hans and all of the anxiety he had caused her.

And at the moment, there was no better feeling.

* * *

The following Sunday, Anna went straight to her shift at the barn.

The job had become routine enough by now; walk into that office. Sign her name on the paper.

And…close the door.

She knew well enough by now that she needed to shut that office door. As forgetful as she may be, after weeks of the same routine, she remembered.

But there was something about the way that Elsa always reminded her before she left. Like Anna was actually _needed_ for something.

"The _door_ , Anna."

Now Anna actually smiled—with her back to the senior, of course—when she shut that door behind her.

And if Elsa was surprised that Anna still 'couldn't remember', she didn't let on about it.

Those three words…

After being ordered every Wednesday to 'get this' or 'do that'; after being instructed to 'put this horse here' or 'give this horse that'…the words weren't even commanding. Just a simple, plain reminder of a request that only Anna and Anna alone could accomplish.

And if Anna were being extremely optimistic, she would even dare to say that they held a hint of amusement.

As Anna grabbed her usual pitchfork and wheelbarrow and headed down the rows of horses, she couldn't help but feel even more relieved that Elsa hadn't brought up anything about what had happened when Anna had confronted Hans.

She just brushed it off, like always.

Pretending it hadn't even happened at all.

And Anna was perfectly fine with that, because it gave her less to worry about.

Or rather, it gave her more time to worry about the show that was approaching in a matter of days.

And Weselton worked them hard on Tuesday, since all lessons were cancelled on the Friday before the show so that both the horses and the students (but primarily the horses) were rested enough and prepared for the day-long show. It seemed as though the closer it came to shows, the more pressure Weselton put on his students—and the more he seemed to live up to his nickname of 'the Weasel'.

Weselton put them through the first half hour without stirrups, but Anna accepted the challenge.

While Titan was relaxed and calm, Anna wouldn't quite consider him comfortable. His trot was choppy and bouncy, and his canter seemed flat. It was difficult for her to sit without leaning forward, but she fought for her balance and was grateful that they were allowed to work with stirrups for the jumping portion of the lesson.

And the riding wasn't even half as painful as Weselton's comments—if he compared her to an animal _one_ more time, Anna could have sworn she would have just dismounted and stalked out of the arena.

" _Miss Summers_ , you're riding like a chicken with the face of a monkey! Your arms are flapping everywhere, and you need to _think_ about where you're going. You need to ride more like an agile peacock—strong and confident, but _graceful_!"

Anna didn't think she had ever heard anything so infuriating—but at the same time so downright hilarious—in her life. And she was still trying to suppress her laugher as she led Titan out of the arena.

"Well, that was rough," Olaf said from where he was walking beside Anna.

Anna gave Olaf a knowing look. Splash—a paint pony with plenty of speed and spirit—could be an interesting ride without stirrups.

"But look on the bright side—you stayed on," Anna said.

"I'm glad about that," Olaf said, "But it just reminds me of how out of shape I am! I used to avoid no stirrup work at all cost."

"Well, I guess we'd all better get used to it. Next thing you know he'll have us jumping an entire course without saddles."

Olaf laughed as he turned Splash towards the opposite end of the aisle, "That'll be the day I land in the dirt."

Anna only smiled after him and led Titan back to his stall where she removed the horse's tack and quickly brushed him down. Then, gathering everything that she needed to return to the tack room, she heard Weselton call down the aisle, "And don't forget to sign up for the preparations for Saturday's show!"

 _Ugh,_ Anna grimaced, _I forgot about that._

She hurried to put away the tack and the brushes, and headed to the office. The door was closed, but she knocked as she was supposed to, and once inside, she walked over to the wall to find the sign-up sheet.

"It's not your work shift. You don't have to sign out from your lesson," Elsa's comment held a bit of a laugh.

"No, I know that," Anna said, turning around to face the senior, "Weasl—uh, Weselton said that we had to sign up for Saturday. To help out with the show."

"Oh," Elsa said, "I didn't even put it up yet. But since you're already here, I guess you get first pick."

"Sounds good to me."

Elsa reached into her bag which was sitting beside her desk, pulled out yet another manila folder that matched the many others that could be found _everywhere_ in that office, and handed Anna one of the papers inside.

Anna took one glance at the list and said, "Wait, I thought we had to sign up for particular jobs."

"You sign up for a horse. It's your job to prepare the horse for the show, which includes grooming and braiding," Elsa spoke to Anna, but turned back to her computer, continuing whatever it was that she had been typing before.

"Well," Anna said, "In that case I'll take Dee."

"Who?"

"Dee," Anna repeated.

"I'm fairly certain that we don't have a horse named Dee."

"Oh," Anna smiled sheepishly, "I meant Delaney. I kind of gave her a nickname."

"Okay then," Elsa looked up from the computer and handed Anna a pen, " _Dee_ is all yours."

Anna grinned, taking the pen and writing her name next to Delaney's.

"Will she wear her martingale for the show?" Anna asked after she set the paper down on the desk.

"I think so. We wouldn't want a repeat performance from tryouts, now would we?" Elsa told her, but her tone was teasing.

"Hey!" Anna exclaimed, and then said pointedly, "I handled it very well. And thanks to all of the times I've worked her without one in lessons, she's learning to carry her head very nicely."

"So I've noticed."

 _You have?_

"And I think you're doing a great job with her."

 _You do!?_

"Oh…uh…thanks," Anna managed, not used to receiving any compliments from the senior.

Elsa waved it off with her hand, as if it were no big deal.

But it was a huge deal to Anna.

Elsa was so hard to please; so incredulously perfect. And yet she had just complimented Anna.

Elsa had just told Anna that she had done something well.

* * *

"I don't want to be here."

Anna's groan was audible even though she had buried her face in Dee's copper mane.

It was six a.m. on Saturday morning, and Anna couldn't help but wish that she could be back in her bed sleeping like every normal college student could on the weekend.

"You know, Dee, you're not quite as comfortable as a pillow, but you'll do," Anna said as she yawned.

"Sleeping on the job?" Kristoff joked as he passed by.

"I am _not_ ," Anna argued, but her head never left Dee's neck.

Kristoff only laughed as he turned to go.

Anna could have sworn she had actually managed to close her eyes for a brief moment, but suddenly the chestnut mare shook her head and neck, freeing herself from the (most likely more annoying than uncomfortable) weight that was Anna.

"I'm up this early for _you_ ," Anna told the mare as she reached for a brush, "The least you can do is let me take a break."

 _Even though I've only been at this for ten minutes_.

Anna continued to talk to Dee as she groomed the mare, more to keep herself awake than anything else. And when she was finished grooming, she headed to the supply room. She rushed to find the string and scissors that were necessary for braiding, knowing that she had already wasted most of her time attempting to fully wake herself up. And if anything could wake her up completely, it was the commotion in the barn: students running this way and that, horses whinnying and moving and swishing their tails, and the exited, frantic, and nervous voices of her fellow teammates.

"Come on, Dee," Anna said, leading the mare out of her stall, "Let's get you on the crossties. And hopefully you stand while I try to remember how to braid the right way."

Anna had been taught how to braid…but she had never actually had a need to _use_ the skills she had been taught because she had never really had the opportunity to show. Since this was the case, she attempted to remember what her old trainer had showed her, but everything ended up going wrong.

And she was about to give up about half an hour later. There were pieces of brown string pooled at her feet, Dee was so impatient on the crossties that she insisted on pawing the ground with her front hoof at any chance she could get, and Anna's arms were so sore she didn't know how she'd even be able to ride when it came time to actually show.

"Having some trouble?"

Anna whipped her head around to find Elsa standing behind her, in a t-shirt…and shorts. She instantly wondered what had happened to the senior's professional appearance, but decided not to ask.

"Trouble would be an understatement," Anna admitted, "I haven't braided in years."

"Well, we can't exactly have an unbraided horse for the show," Elsa said seriously.

"I know," Anna sighed, "I'm sorry. I should have asked for help beforehand. I didn't exactly realize how long it had been. I thought I'd be able to figure it out."

"That's okay," Elsa said, "It's never too late to learn. Hand me the string. And the scissors."

 _Thank God_ , Anna smiled as she handed over the requested items.

Maybe everything would work out after all.

Elsa cut a much longer piece of string than Anna had been working with before, and then gave both the string and scissors back to Anna as she stepped closer to Dee, who was still shifting from side to side on the crossties.

Anna watched intently as the senior demonstrated how to start the braid—pointing out all of the places where Anna had gone wrong. The primary reason was that Anna's braid hadn't been tight enough. And as Elsa worked, Anna couldn't help herself from noticing the precision of Elsa's fingers. Of course, Elsa had it somewhat easier, being slightly taller than Anna. But she never missed a step, and then end product looked…well…the way it was _supposed_ to look.

"You make it look so easy," Anna complained.

"The years of experience are worth something, I guess."

Anna didn't quite know what to make of Elsa's comment, but she didn't exactly have time to analyze it. Instead, she focused on the matter at hand and said, "It makes sense now, but I don't know if I'll be able to finish in time. They need the horses completely ready in an hour and a half."

"I…guess I could help you finish," Elsa offered.

"That would be _amazing_!" Anna exclaimed.

"We'll just need to section her mane first so that she doesn't end up with a ridiculously small braid in the middle of her neck. And also, go do yourself a favor and get a stool from the supply room."

"Since when are there stools in the supply room!?"

"Since forever," Elsa laughed, "Now hurry up, or we won't even finish with both of us working."

Wondering how in the world she had missed the stack of stools in the corner of the supply room (now diminished to only three with everyone braiding), Anna grabbed one and brought it back. Then Anna started braiding at Dee's head, and Elsa at the base of Dee's neck.

Neither spoke while they worked, but Anna found that she couldn't focus entirely on what she was doing. She kept looking over at Elsa, still in awe at how quickly the senior could throw together one braid so perfectly without a single hair out of place. And she was also in awe of the fact that Elsa didn't once seem to grow tired, because while she was taller than Anna, and working at the lower part of Dee's neck, she still had her arms practically over her head.

 _This is the difference between having muscle and being a weakling,_ Anna sighed. Her own arms were getting tired again even though she was standing on the stool. And she kept having to constantly reposition the stool as she worked her way lower down Dee's mane, while Elsa, on the other hand, had to keep reaching higher in order to get the job done.

And at a certain point, Anna couldn't help but notice that the senior's choice of clothing wasn't quite cut out for braiding. Because now every time she reached up, the hem of that t-shirt would move upwards as well.

Had Elsa worn her usual polo shirt tucked into jeans or breeches, Anna never would have seen it.

But she did, and it took everything in her not to audibly gasp in shock.

Because right above the top of those shorts Anna saw what could be nothing but a tattoo—dark ink against Elsa's pale skin.

Anna could only see about half of it, as the other half was covered by the waistband of the shorts, but she guessed that it had to be a word. And she desperately tried to figure out what in the world is said, but before Anna could it was covered once more, and replace by other words— _spoken_ words—that turned Anna's face from a light shade of pink to a deep crimson.

"The horse's mane is _up here_ , Anna."

And as if it weren't already embarrassing enough that Elsa had noticed her staring, the senior actually sounded… _amused_.

Quickly, Anna turned back to her half-finished braid, not once looking back at Elsa until they had finished.

They hadn't quite met in the middle as planned; it was more like Elsa had finished two thirds of the braids, each one the same size and shape, and then those perfect little braids met about ten or twelve large, messy, and rather unsightly ones closer to Dee's ears.

"Well," Elsa said, "At least it's done."

Anna nodded in agreement, but after checking her phone she became frantic again, "But what about her tail? And her forelock!? And she's supposed to be ready in fifteen minutes, and _I'm_ supposed to be ready and I'm not even changed! I'm the second division. I have to go get my number and go tack up and—"

"Anna," Elsa interrupted the redhead's nervous string of worries, "I can finish it."

"Are you sure?" Anna asked, not wanting to cause Elsa any more trouble than she already had.

"It's fine," Elsa said.

"Thank you _so_ much!" Anna exclaimed, "I'll stay later for my shift on Thursday to make up for it!"

"You don't have to do that. You're busy enough as it is."

"That's why I said _Thursday_. I'll barely be able to drag myself over here tomorrow!"

Anna spun on her heels and left before Elsa could say anything more.

* * *

Half an hour later, Anna found herself atop a dun pony named Knight.

 _Just my luck that it's our home show and the one horse I get drawn for I've never even ridden!_

At least she'd worked with him; knew his temperament on the ground from all of her rounds of turnout and stall cleaning. And thankfully, he was one of the more docile horses who didn't spook or grow angry easily.

The fourth rider in her division, Anna was already warming up, and before she knew it, it was her turn to jump the course.

"You've got this Anna," Kristoff said from where he stood by the gate, and Anna smiled in return.

Rapunzel gave Anna a thumbs up from where she sat in the stands next to Flynn, who was no doubt droning on and attempting to explain to Anna's roommate the fine workings of the horse world (The part of the conversation Anna had overheard was: "No, no, you've got it confused with jumpers. Hunters is judged mainly on the rider's _equitation_ , that's why the courses aren't as complex!"). But Rapunzel didn't seem to mind; it was _who_ she was talking to that mattered.

Anna shot Rapunzel a small smile to acknowledge her roommate, and then without another thought, Anna trotted Knight and transitioned to the canter.

The course wasn't anything too complicated. It consisted of about six jumps, all of them being crossrails except for the very last jump that looked to be a vertical about a foot high.

Knight took the jumps with ease, much to Anna's relief. She didn't have to struggle with him, or fight him, or encourage him over the jumps. He was practically a push-button pony, and coming from Dee and quite a few of the other hot-tempered horses she had ridden, Knight was an angel. He kept a steady pace, not speeding up in front of the jumps, and had his own keen eye for distances.

When Anna completed the course, she gave Knight a well-deserved pat on the neck. And when it came time for the awards later on in the afternoon, Anna gave Knight many well-deserved carrots, because he had helped Anna earn third place in the show, and Anna couldn't have been any more elated.

"You're good for something, huh?" came a sneer from behind Anna as people filed in and out of the aisle.

There were so many students from other schools heading back, talking, walking, eating, laughing…and she almost lost sight of the unwelcome commenter.

But then she saw him—the back of him anyway—already down by the doors.

Hans.

"You're horrible," Anna seethed, eyes glaring after his retreating form.

She had known that he was here.

She had seen him take first place in his division. The perfect, wonderful, amazing champion.

"Anything _but_ ," Anna muttered, "The only award you deserve is for being the biggest ass on the face of the earth."

"Is he giving you trouble again?" Kristoff walked up to Anna after witnessing what had just happened.

She knew exactly the 'he' that Kristoff was referring to.

"More like just being annoying," Anna said, but she brushed it off as quickly as she had let it get to her, instead turning her attention to the yellow ribbon in her hand, "But nothing's going to spoil my win!"

"Some of the team members are going out for an early dinner to celebrate," Kristoff said, "And I offered to drive. Want to come with?"

"Definitely!" Anna exclaimed, giving Knight one final pat.

By the time she was finished giving the dun pony his extra attention, Kristoff was already half way down the barn aisle. And as she hurried to catch up with him, she nearly ran into Elsa, who was coming down from the second level of the barn.

"I didn't expect you to be here still," Anna said.

"Well, I kind of live here," Elsa gave a small shrug.

"Oh, no I didn't mean it that way!" Anna rushed to explain herself, "I just remembered people saying that you didn't stick around for the shows. I mean, not that you shouldn't. Like you said, you live here. I just thought that maybe you came down in the morning to make sure that things were running smoothly. Which…clearly they weren't with me, anyway."

"Technically I'm off today. Actually, the whole place is closed on Saturdays. Except for the weekend of the home show," Elsa said. "But of course I'm never _really_ 'off'. Because guess who gets called first if something's wrong? Me. Just like every single day I'm _not_ off."

 _That would explain the shorts and t-shirt_ , Anna thought. But she didn't mention it, instead only saying, "I don't blame you for trying to get away."

It seemed as though Elsa's job entailed much more than just finances and paperwork—Elsa practically ran the entire business. Which was an added amount of work when said business required the care of multiple living creatures.

"It's life," Elsa said, turning to go; brushing off her small moment of exasperation as if it were no big deal. As if it shouldn't be something she or anyone else should be worrying about.

But before she could leave, Anna asked, "Why did you stay, then? Today, I mean?"

Elsa only shrugged again, her back to Anna, "Usually I don't. Sometimes I do."

* * *

 **A/n:** Well, there's chapter 7. There's not much to say about it except that when it comes to horses and braiding, it's not nearly as easy as it sounds. Trust me, I know. So thankfully Elsa was there to save the day. And accidentally show off her tattoo…

Anyway, here's an explanation just in case you're all still confused: jumpers vs. hunters. I'll try to simplify it. If you're in a jumpers division you're judged on if you get over the jump and how quickly you get over the jump. If you're in a hunters division you're judged on how well you get over the jump, how well you work with your horse, and how good your position is (which is called equitation). So normally because of this, hunter courses are lower and less complicated, and jumper courses are higher with more sharp turns and complex patterns.

And two other things if you all don't know what they mean already: Breeches are pants and are normal equestrian attire. And 'push-button pony' is an expression for a pony (or horse) that's simple to ride, who will listen to all cues no matter what.

Thanks for reading :)


	8. Chapter 8

"So does your offer still stand?"

"Huh?" Anna listened with half an ear as she expertly maneuvered a snappy palomino onto the crossties before the mare had a chance to take off her arm.

"You said you'd stay later today. In exchange for helping you with braiding," Elsa said, placing a hand on the halter of the palomino horse as she tried to swing her head angrily in the senior's direction despite the constraint of the crossties.

"Oh. Right," Anna remembered, not able to tell if Elsa was serious or not, "Sure."

"Only if you're not busy," Elsa said, "It really isn't necessary, but I actually found something that I could use some extra assistance with."

"Well, you're in luck. My history exam was moved from tomorrow to Monday, so I'm free," Anna joked, and then turning back to the palomino, she asked, "What's wrong with her today? She's usually so calm."

"The vet came this morning," Elsa explained, "She doesn't take too kindly to needles."

"You little grump," Anna told the mare, who pinned her ears as Anna took her off the crossties and led her back into the stall that she had just finished cleaning.

"I'll let you finish up, then," Elsa told Anna once she had walked back out of the palomino's stall.

"Yeah. It shouldn't take me much longer," Anna said, "Just feeding and sweeping."

And Anna moved quickly through the rest of her work, wondering what in the world it was that Elsa actually needed extra help with. She had been expecting that maybe something needed to be organized or cleaned, or a particular horse needed medication, or maybe a hay load had been delivered late…

"I was hoping that you'd be able to help me with a new horse," Elsa said to her in the office about an hour later, wiping away all of Anna's previous predictions, "He's a new training project that my parents invested in. I was hoping to work with him on the lunge line under saddle."

"Okay, so do you want me to go grab the lunge line? Where is it? In the supply room?"

"Actually…" Elsa trailed off for a moment before saying, "I was going to ask you to ride."

"Oh," Anna said—one syllable worth of shock, excitement, and nervousness.

First Elsa had recognized her ability with Dee, and now the senior was trusting her with a new horse in the middle of training?

"I like to watch the horses move with someone else riding before actually working with them, and of course my parents went to see him when I was in school," Elsa explained.

"That's fine with me," Anna said, "I can go tack him up then. Which horse is it?"

"His name is Lance," Elsa said, "And I know you've been working with all of the horses, but just remember to be careful around him. There's a reason he's considered a training project."

"Okay," was all Anna could manage.

It wasn't that she was afraid of the (possibly) crazy horse. She just still couldn't believe that Elsa _trusted_ her to ride the crazy project horse.

Anna walked down the aisle and found Lance's stall. And when she got there, she vaguely remembered the huge black warmblood horse with only a small white star marking below his forelock.

"You're the one who needs the chain," Anna recalled, eyeing the same lead rope she had used to bring the horse in from turnout earlier that evening.

Lance huffed and pinned his ears when Anna entered his stall, but Anna spoke to him in order to calm him down, "Lance, it's okay. We're just going to go for a little ride, that's all."

The large horse's shoulder was well above Anna's head as she led him to the crossties. The chain was merely a safety precaution; a small portion of the lead rope that ran through the rings on the halter, over the nose, that gave the handler more control and dissuaded the horse from tossing his head up and out of the handler's grasp.

Anna briefly thought that maybe she should have gotten Lance's tack beforehand, so that she wouldn't have had to leave the clearly impatient and agitated horse on the crossties. But there was no way she was putting the horse back in his stall and going through the trouble of leading him back out and onto the crossties again.

 _Looks like this one's going to be a lot of work_ , she thought as she hurried upstairs first for her helmet and then for the tack, _Guess that's another reason Elsa wants someone else to try him out first._

But Anna wasn't going to let the horse intimidate her. Even when Lance struck out with his back hoof when she tightened the girth, and snapped at her when she tried to bridle him, she didn't let him get away with his actions. She made sure that he was listening to her as she led him into the arena, not letting him drag her down the barn aisle.

Elsa was already waiting in the arena with the lunge line, and Anna swung into the saddle without further instruction, but after that, she waited for Elsa to tell her what to do, because she had never really been in this position before. She barely dared to walk forward without being asked, and was glad when Elsa finally said something (instead of staring at her with an expectant look as if Anna should already know what she was supposed to do…).

Yes, Elsa gave Anna instruction all the time, but never while riding. And it just felt odd, being atop the horse with Elsa telling her what to do. Anna wanted to make sure that she did what she was told, but at the same time, what if Lance started acting up? What if Elsa asked Anna to do something that she couldn't do? Not that there was anything about this angry horse that scared her; she could handle him, she was sure of it. But the other strange thing was that she found herself wanting to…impress.

She had to remind herself of all of the basics, almost as if it were tryouts on repeat. She didn't want Elsa to have to correct her, to tell her that her position wasn't right, or that her heel wasn't down far enough, or that she was on the wrong posting diagonal.

"You're on the wrong diagonal."

 _Of course_ , Anna fought the urge to roll her eyes. _Just focus on the horse. Focus on Lance. Forget about everything else. Just. Lance._

Anna quickly fixed her mistake. And she knew that Elsa had only pointed it out because Lance was a horse in training; even though it was a small mistake, anything could throw Lance off.

Anna found it a little difficult to adjust to Lance's gait, because even though he was on the lunge line, meaning that the lunge line connected to the horse's bridle and he was moving in circles around Elsa who was holding the end of the lunge line, Lance would still speed up every now and then. He would lengthen his stride, and Elsa would tell her to correct him by giving him half halts; tell her to not let him get away with it even though this was just so that she could watch him move.

 _I could just change my position,_ Anna wanted to say, _and use my leg instead of pulling on the reins._

But she kept her mouth shut, not wanting to challenge the senior who clearly held authority. Anna couldn't let herself forget that. This was Elsa's life, Elsa's job, and virtually Elsa's horse. Anna had to do as she was told…

And while she knew that this was how it had to be, Anna found it increasingly more difficult to fight the urge to speak her opinion. Because by the time Lance was cantering, all he wanted was to take off galloping.

"Anna, bring him back to the trot. Make him walk, and then when he's listening to you ask him to canter again."

Anna did as Elsa said, but it only earned the same response from an even more agitated Lance, and after working on the transition a few more times, Lance was starting to hold his head high, not taking kindly to the constant pressure on the bit.

"Halt him," Elsa said, "He needs to understand that he can't get away with taking off like this."

Anna fought slightly with the stubborn horse before he started trotting again, but not matter how hard Anna tried, Lance would continue to throw in steps of the canter, until Anna finally gave up the tug of war and just let the horse go, against Elsa's request.

"Anna, that's not halting him."

"I know, but…" Anna paused, not knowing whether to continue. But seeing as she was the one on the horse, and the one with the most control over the horse at the moment, she decided to share her opinion with Elsa, "Fighting with him isn't going to work. It'll only make him fight back harder. I think we just need to let him get it out of his system. And then get him to listen."

"So that he learns that he can take off with students and potential buyers in the future? I don't think so," Elsa said, her voice firm, "He needs to learn now."

"Well, it's going to take some time, anyway. He's really green."

"That doesn't matter. The point is that he needs to learn how to behave himself before he has the chance to form these habits."

"This is only _helping_ him form those habits," Anna muttered. And she hadn't intended for the senior to hear, but clearly, Elsa had.

"Anna, I asked for your help, not your opinion. So if you don't like the way I'm handling this, then _halt the horse_ and get off."

 _Now look what you've gotten yourself into_ , Anna's mind was racing with thoughts at this point.

She was angry at herself for challenging the senior. But she was even angrier that Elsa wouldn't take her opinions into consideration. Anna felt that in this particular situation, she should most certainly be allowed to have an opinion since she, being on the horse and not on the ground, was the one who would be most affected if something were to go wrong. And clearly Elsa had to respect her riding—and her ideas about riding— _somewhat_ in order for her to have asked Anna to help with Lance in the first place.

 _But no, she can never be wrong. And she'll never admit it, even if she knows it. Even if it's true and I'm saying it to her face._

Lance was still cantering beneath her, but her whole body seemed to be on autopilot, and while her thoughts were filled with nothing but annoyance, she wasn't entirely focused on Lance. And Lance, who had been previously trying to take advantage of a completely focused rider, jumped at the chance to take advantage of a completely _unfocused_ rider.

Lance ignored all of Anna's half halts and leg aids, but even though the horse was still cantering, he put his head back down. And in the midst of her anger, Anna was about to breathe a sigh of relief…But she never quite got the chance. Because Lance, being the little devil that he was, suddenly gave the largest buck that Anna had ever experienced in her life; a huge buck that succeeded in launching Anna from the saddle, and causing her to land very ungracefully in the dirt.

 _Freaking ow. Tomorrow morning that's going to hurt like hell._

"That wasn't quite what I asked you to do."

Anna's face instantly flushed as she got to her feet.

She had temporarily forgotten where she was, but there was no mistaking it now. Not only did all of her annoyance return once she remembered that only a few minutes ago she had been arguing with Elsa, but embarrassment was added to the mix as well.

She had just fallen off of the horse in front of Elsa.

As if Elsa needed any more reason to explain why she was right and Anna wasn't.

"At least he's walking now," Elsa's words were nothing but ice.

 _A little concern would be nice,_ Anna thought. And she really, _really_ wanted to say it, but she knew she'd caused enough damage—both to herself, and, she was positively certain, all of the progress she had made with the senior.

"I can…untack him if you want," Anna offered, in an attempt to make up for the trouble she had caused without _actually_ apologizing.

She didn't think she could ever bring herself to actually apologize for what she said, because she believed wholeheartedly in those words. She believed there was a proper way that things should be done regarding horses, but that there also came a time when enough was enough, and matters needed to be dealt with differently.

"Just go, Anna. You've done enough."

"I mean, it wouldn't be a big deal or anything—"

"I said you've done _enough_."

It was all Anna could do to keep herself from glaring before spinning on her heels and walking out of the arena.

Why was Elsa so stubborn?

So set in her own ways?

And Anna…she was so unbelievably _angry_ at herself; almost as angry with herself as she was with Elsa. She _knew_ that speaking her mind wouldn't end well. She _knew_ that Elsa wouldn't take very kindly to it. Yet…she'd let her stupid mouth get the better of her.

And because of it, she feared that she would end up as far from Elsa as she had been the very first day they had met.

 _You get_ this _close to actually getting along, and then you ruin it_ , Anna thought to herself bitterly the entire bike ride back to campus. And by the time she had gotten back to her dorm room, all thoughts of completing any remaining homework had been extinguished. She was exhausted, both physically and mentally, and _dammit_ she had a riding lesson tomorrow…

* * *

" _Ow_ ," Anna hissed as she took the saddle off of Splash the following afternoon.

The sprightly little pony had made her work hard—and it had done quite a number on her already sore back. The best of it was when Splash had decided to start dancing in front of the tiniest little crossrail imaginable, and _right_ when Anna had figured it would be best to turn the pony around and try again, Splash launched herself over the jump from her near-stand-still prancing, throwing Anna forward so that she had to scramble to regain her position by the time the pony cantered off upon landing.

 _Just breathe. Relax. It's Friday. Tomorrow you can sleep until the afternoon. Or better yet, go see a chiropractor_ …

Anna, despite the unpleasant feeling of complaint from her back, brought everything upstairs with her at once, wanting to get out of the barn as quickly as possible. Because the one and only time she had crossed paths with Elsa today, the senior had given her the coldest look Anna thought she had ever seen.

Anna raced back downstairs even more quickly than she had gone up, free of her previous trip's heavy leather items. She made her way back to Splash's stall to give the pony a carrot, and then she grabbed her bag and waited for Kristoff to pick her up. He had offered, since Anna had told him all about the previous night's wonderful fall…and the rest of it as well.

"Do you think I should talk to her?" Anna asked when the two were walking back to their building.

"I guess you could try," Kristoff said.

"There's no way I'm apologizing. The only one who should be apologizing is her…but somehow I don't exactly see that happening."

"I don't see that happening either," Kristoff laughed.

"It's not funny!" Anna exclaimed.

"I think you should stop worrying about it so much," Kristoff said seriously, "She'll get over it."

"But she's _Elsa_ ," Anna said, "Because of my moment of stupidity, she probably won't talk to me ever again, let alone trust me to ride a horse like Lance. Oh, God, or Dee? What if I'm not allowed to ride Dee anymore—"

"Hold on there, Feisty Pants, let's not jump to conclusions."

Anna sighed. Jumping to conclusions was a skill that she had gotten _very_ good at over the past few years. She stopped what she was sure had been the beginnings of a worried rant and listened to what her friend had to say.

"Anna, has it ever occurred to you that maybe it _wasn't_ a moment of stupidity?"

"What?" Anna was confused.

"Just what I said. Maybe it wasn't stupid of you. Maybe it was a good thing."

"And how is it good that we're no longer on speaking terms and she practically hates me again and I have to deal with her every time I go to work and every time I see her in chem lab?"

"You told her what she needs to hear," Kristoff said.

"Well, yeah, I know that. But it was stupid of me to choose that over…over everything else."

"You didn't choose anything. You were only trying to help."

Anna sighed, "I mean, I _get_ that, but that doesn't mean that I don't feel like what I did was wrong. Like there would have been a better way…"

"Anna you didn't do anything wrong. Okay? And if Elsa knew what was good for her, then she would listen to what other people have to say. In the business she's gotten herself into, other people's opinions matter quite a large deal. She's going to have to get used to it one way or another."

"This is true," Anna said, knowing how the horse world really _was_ full of very opinionated people, "But you're forgetting that Elsa _is_ one of those opinionated people."

Kristoff only shrugged, "I don't really know what else to say to you. Just give it time, let her cool down."

At that, Anna laughed, "Cool down? When she sets her mind to it she can be a freaking ice queen."

"Point taken," Kristoff agreed.

"But you're right," Anna told Kristoff when they reached her dorm room, "I always worry about these things too much."

"You mean well. That's all that matters."

"Thanks, Kristoff," Anna gave him a smile.

"Hey, just remember, horses are better than people. Sven is the only one I can talk to who doesn't freak out at me or judge."

" _I_ don't judge," Anna laughed, as the thought of Kristoff's horse came to mind, reindeer antlers and all, "And what you mean is _reindeers_ are better than people."

"Yes, Anna, reindeers are _much_ , better than people."

* * *

Anna dragged herself to the barn on Sunday, exhausted from her shift at Starbucks, her back still sore as she had been standing all morning.

 _And imagine how much better it'll feel pushing a wheelbarrow for an hour and a half_ , Anna sighed as she leaned her bike against the barn entrance.

She walked down the aisle, her footsteps the only noise with the exception of the occasional huff or whinny. As the days got cooler, the pesky flies had died down, and so most of the horses were happier and friendlier with the change in the weather.

 _The horses get happier, and Elsa gets angrier_ , Anna rolled her eyes as she turned the corner.

The office door was closed as it always was, and Anna sighed.

Did she _really_ have to go in there? Was it really necessary for her to sign in? Elsa would be able to see that she had come in and completed her job when all of the stalls were done and all of the horses had been fed…

Anna bit her lip, and then knocked.

"Come in."

A curt, short response. The normal one, just more emotionless. Was that even possible? Did Elsa know it was her?

 _Well, duh, it's the time of your shift, of course she knows it's you_.

Anna opened the door quietly, and avoided any eye contact with the senior as she quickly signed her name on the sheet. She rushed out, but before she had passed the desk, Elsa said without even looking up at her, "The railings on the second level need to be dusted today."

"I _get_ it, you don't have to keep _punishing_ me to remind me where my place is," Anna muttered.

"What was that?"

 _Oh, you heard me_.

"Nothing," Anna said innocently.

"Shut the door."

Anna slammed it.

* * *

Anna was practically fuming by the time she had finished everything.

Gone were her moments of feeling bad about what she'd said.

No.

If anything, Elsa needed to be put in _her_ place.

She couldn't just _turn_ on Anna like this because Anna had merely been doing what Kristoff had said—she had been trying to _help_.

But of course, it hadn't come off that way to Elsa, who clearly thought that suggestions were an attack on her opinions.

Anna had gotten a rag from the supply closet, and was running the fabric up and down the wooden railings of the second level, muttering under her breath the entire time, but she shut her mouth instantly when she noticed a rider enter the arena with a white horse.

 _She forgot I'm up here, didn't she_ , Anna thought. _She forgot she asked me to do the railings._

At first, Anna panicked. But upon second consideration of the situation, she found a wonderful plan beginning to weave its way into her mind.

Elsa hadn't looked up once.

 _Okay, Elsa. Let's see how you ride if you don't like the way I handle a horse_.

Anna recognized Legacy, the horse that Elsa had been riding when Anna had first seen her during tryouts. And Anna had gotten to know the horse better every time she came in for work.

Legacy was an Arabian mare, most likely seven or eight years old. She enjoyed being turned out, and disliked being cramped in her stall, although she was one of the horses who would let Anna in and stand patiently while Anna completed her work.

The mare wasn't actually completely white, as she had looked—and currently looked—to Anna from a distance. She was a flea bitten gray, meaning that she had gray little flecks of color all over her (hence the analogy to 'flea bites'). Legacy's dished face, characteristic of the Arabian breed, was one that Anna had grown to adore when the mare would stick her head over her stall door, tiny ears pricked forward, begging for extra attention or treats.

Anna wasn't sure if Legacy actually belonged to Elsa.

Technically all of these horses "belonged" to Elsa. Or at least belonged to her parents, anyway. But Anna wondered if Elsa had a horse here that she could call her own, and if she had to guess, Legacy would be her first choice.

When Legacy began trotting, Anna could only admire the way the mare moved. Her trot looked like any normal horse's trot, but when she _extended_ that trot…that horse could _move_.

Legacy looked as if she were floating on air, so poised and elegant; as if each time she extended her legs she froze in a beautiful, lengthened position before she completed her next stride.

 _Definitely a dressage horse_ , Anna thought.

She had seen the dressage saddle that Elsa was using, but it was Legacy's fluid movements that convinced her of the horse's abilities.

And Elsa was quiet, her grip on the reins soft, but maintaining a certain amount of contact so that Legacy carried her neck in a perfect arc, the way she was supposed to. When the senior sat that trot it was like she was one with the horse, both moving together, that platinum blond braid tossing out behind Elsa like Legacy's snow white tail.

 _No wonder they call dressage horse dancing_.

Anna was so awestruck that she forgot about how angry she was with Elsa.

Until…Legacy started cantering.

All went well for a few seconds, but then Legacy pulled a stunt like Lance had with Anna on Thursday, speeding up and attempting to take off.

 _So…maybe Legacy is just another training project then?_

Anna watched as both horse and rider's moment of connection dissolved, replaced by Elsa's struggle to regain control of the headstrong mare, who wasn't about to give in any time soon. Because now, Legacy reminded Anna more of Dee, tossing her head up every time Elsa tried to pull back on the reins. The harder the mare fought, the more Elsa pulled.

 _Stop pulling!_ Anna thought, knowing that with the constant pressure on the reins Legacy would only become more annoyed, which would in turn cause the mare to run even faster.

But of course the senior couldn't hear her thoughts.

Legacy was practically galloping away with her nose to the sky, and while Elsa sat back and was going nowhere, it just _looked_ uncomfortable.

Anna couldn't just watch this without doing anything. She just couldn't—both for the horse's sake, and Elsa's. And so she acted again, on impulse, really. She had already attempted to explain it to Elsa once, so why not make her message even clearer?

"Elsa, stop pulling on the reins! You're only agitating her more. You need to give her room to move; give her her head, or she's never going to listen to you. You need to _let her go_!"

Elsa's attention instantaneously, yet ever so briefly, shifted to Anna. And the split-second, wide-eyed look she gave the redhead was one of complete shock, confusion, and anger.

But in that moment, it was enough to startle the senior so much that she had stopped pulling back on the reins. And even though it was out of shock and not Elsa's intention, it was enough to let Legacy lower her head slightly, which Elsa took advantage of, giving the mare half halts until she came back down to the trot, and then the walk, and finally a halt.

And then Elsa walked Legacy as close to the wall as she could, stared right up at Anna with the same cold eyes from before and said, "The only one who needs to let _anything_ go is _you_."

* * *

 **A/n:** Well, everyone has their differences, right? They just need to learn how to work around those differences before they can get along. Not everyone agrees with everyone all the time. If that were the case then the world would be a strange, strange place.

But don't worry. It'll be resolved quickly I promise!

And now onto the horse terms: Green is a term that is used to describe any horse that isn't trained yet, or is currently in training.

And I'll also explain the lunge line again to make it a little more clear. It's a two person job if someone is riding the horse, as you need someone to ride and someone to hold the lunge line. You can have a horse on the lunge line without a rider too. But with a rider, the lunge line gets attached to the bridle and the then horse moves in a circle around the person holding the lunge line. It's basically so that the horse can be worked in a more controlled environment. So...I hope that helped :)

Thanks for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

After the most awkward of chemistry labs, where Elsa virtually acted like Anna didn't even exist (with the exception of, ' _Get me a beaker. No, the_ fifty _milliliter beaker, not the_ hundred _can't you read?_ '), Anna contemplated skipping work on Thursday.

Like, _really_ contemplated it.

But looking back on her decision, she was grateful that she had had half a mind and decided to go.

Because right before Anna started sweeping, after she had given all of the horses their nightly grain rations, Anna noticed something wrong—with Dee. Anna walked over to the mare's stall, and saw that Dee hadn't touched her food. And this was merely the first of the signs that Dee wasn't acting normally. Had it been any other day, the ravenous chestnut mare would have had all of the food gone before Anna had even walked back her way. But tonight it remained untouched, with Dee holding her head low and her back to the bucket, lip curling upwards every few seconds.

"What's the matter, girl?" Anna asked, putting the broom down next to Dee's stall to assess the problem.

As if on cue, Dee turned her entire head around and nudged at her stomach, and seconds later, she dropped to the ground and began rolling.

 _Crap, crap, crap_! Anna forgot about the broom completely as she ran to the office.

The door was in its usual state—closed—but Anna didn't have time to knock.

And she didn't have time to worry about the dispute she had had with Elsa.

Anna burst into the office, and before Elsa even had a chance to open her mouth, Anna exclaimed, "I think Dee is colicking!"

Almost immediately, Elsa's stiff demeanor caved—figuratively and literally, as her shoulders hunched and she put her head in her hands, "Just what I need right now."

But no more than a minute later, the senior was on her feet, heading to the filed manila folders, and saying, "I'm calling the vet. Get any food out of her stall, hay, grain, water, _anything_ , and keep her standing."

Anna nodded, "Got it."

Quickly, she made her way back to Dee's stall, job of sweeping abandoned as she removed anything that Dee could consume. She knew the consequences of colic, and how severe it could be. The insanely long equine digestive tract, crammed and folded into a tiny stomach, could become twisted or blocked very easily. The adverse results of the blockages or twists, considered colic, then led to a waiting game that could easily go either way depending on the severity of the situation. And with the changing of the weather, the horses became more sensitive, and colic more frequent.

"Why, Dee?" Anna sighed, "You need to stay standing so that you don't cause even more damage."

She had managed to get Dee up and on her feet, but was struggling to _keep_ the mare standing.

Luckily, she didn't have to wonder what to do for long. Elsa showed up only a minute later, all differences and arguments set aside; this was indeed an emergency.

"The vet is an hour and a half away. So he probably won't get here for another two hours," Elsa said.

"You mean he won't get here until _ten_?" Anna asked.

"He's getting here as fast as he can. He was with another client," Elsa's words were rushed, but then grew authoritative once more, "But he's still on the phone and needs to know how severe we think it is. So hold her still."

As Elsa moved closer to inspect the horse, checking for whatever she knew she had to check for, Anna couldn't quite ignore the fact that Elsa had said 'we'. Or…the fact that Elsa hadn't even double-checked Anna's diagnosis—the senior had called the vet without even looking at the horse herself.

"Walk her down the aisle, and whatever you do, do _not_ let her roll. You are to keep her on her feet at all times. I have to finish with her records. I'll be back in a minute," Elsa instructed, already walking back to the office.

Control.

Something that Elsa was insanely good at.

But…Anna found that she didn't quite mind it as much as usual.

It was an emergency, after all.

And…was it odd that it seemed kind of…attractive?

 _But God, not in_ that _way,_ Anna's eyes grew wide when she realized the other implication of her thoughts. _It's just a respectable quality to have. Sometimes._

Dee nearly yanked the lead rope out of Anna's hand in another attempt to start rolling, and it was enough to snap Anna's attention out of her odd, spontaneous thoughts, and back to the more important situation.

Anna fought with the mare for a few moments before she got Dee walking, back and forth down the aisle like she was supposed to, and the entire time she talked to the chestnut mare, who was clearly distressed—as anyone would be in whatever amount of pain Dee was most likely in.

"How is she doing?"

It was Elsa, back already from the call.

"Fighting me, clearly," Anna said, "But I'm managing."

As Anna circled Dee at the end of the aisle, right in front of Elsa, the senior looked as if she wanted to say something, but then thought better of it. Then she looked to the ground, and then back at Anna, and then once Anna had completely turned around and could no longer see Elsa's face, she heard a small, shaky breath before it was followed by a request, in a slightly more timid voice, "Would you mind...staying? Just until the vet comes and then you can leave. I just…hate being alone here when things like this happen."

Anna nearly froze in place at the admitted words.

Elsa wanted her to stay? After everything that had happened previously?

"No one wants to be alone when a horse colics," Anna said, her back still to the senior, "I'll stay. And I don't mind staying when the vet comes, either."

Elsa sounded slightly shocked, but mostly relieved, "That means a lot, Anna."

 _Guess that's her way of thanking me?_

"It's no big deal. We can take turns walking her until the vet comes, and we'll just…deal with it as it comes, I guess," Anna said, and at this point, she had to turn around again, and walk Dee back towards Elsa, and she saw Elsa nod her head in agreement. And so, after Anna had walked Dee for about ten minutes, she turned the chestnut mare over to Elsa, who walked Dee silently up and down the aisle.

It was very quiet afterwards, as neither of them spoke. Anna just found herself listening; to the horses as they drifted in and out of sleep, sighing, nickering, and swishing their tails; to the late autumn wind that blew past the slightly open barn doors; to the loud striking of Dee's hooves on the cement floor accompanied by Elsa's soft footsteps.

After about forty minutes had passed, they let Dee have a short break, not wanting to exhaust the poor horse. But they knew that continuing to walk Dee was best for the mare's health—a little tiredness was nothing compared to having to undergo a surgery that wasn't guaranteed to be a success. And when two hours had passed and the vet still hadn't come, and the glow of Anna's phone read 10:36, she wondered where in the world the vet was, and worried if he'd make it in time. Because while Dee seemed stable, Anna knew that the proper medication needed to be administered, and that a proper examination needed to be performed in order to determine if Dee would need surgery.

"Your turn," Anna said through a yawn, handing the lead rope over to Elsa. Then she eyed the two hay bales by the doors, "You know what? I think I'm going to lay down for a few minutes. Just wake me up when it's my turn to walk her."

"Go ahead," Elsa said, sounding just about as tired as Anna felt.

Anna yawned again as she walked over to the hay bales. She could just about fit if she curled her legs all the way up to her chest. And while it was slightly uncomfortable, and quite itchy, she found her eyes closing almost instantly.

 _Just a few minutes…I'll get right back up…_

* * *

The next thing Anna knew, she was waking up to—horses? And voices? And what was that awful poking in her side?

"You're really very lucky you caught it when you did. If it had been any longer she would have needed the surgery. And even then nothing would have been guaranteed."

"Actually, it wasn't me. It was Anna who recognized what was going on. I don't know that I would have caught it in time if she hadn't been here."

"Anna?"

"She's our student worker. Just started the beginning of this semester."

"Oh, I didn't realize you were hiring."

"She needed work in exchange for lessons."

"I see. Well, everything should be okay with Delaney now. Keep monitoring her progress, and I want an update in about twelve hours."

"Thank you so much for coming out so late."

"Not a problem."

There were footsteps.

Then a very loud, exhausted sigh.

Anna rolled over, remembering exactly where she was, and sat up, rubbing her eyes, "I told you to wake me up."

"You were out cold," Elsa's voice wasn't even the slightest bit angry—she sounded completely drained.

"So she's okay then? Dee?"

"I've never been so happy to see a pile of horse shit."

Anna would have burst out laughing, had she had the energy. Never in a million years would she have thought she would hear Elsa curse. And it was kind of endearing—in its own way that was only Elsa's.

 _I think I need to go back to sleep_ , Anna thought.

"So, I don't know about you, but it's one in the morning and I'm exhausted. And I don't think I'm in any shape to drive, let alone walk back to the house. So you're either sleeping here, or on the sofa."

"I choose the sofa," Anna said, as she continued to pull hay off of her clothes and out of her hair, "But who's going to stay with Dee? And check on her?"

"Kai's coming. He's got it covered."

"Who?"

"Kai. He does your job every morning and evening that you don't work."

"Oh," Anna didn't ask any more questions—she could barely keep herself awake as it was.

It took all of Anna's energy to bring herself to her feet and follow Elsa all the way up to the house, but even though she was practically sleep walking, it didn't lessen her amazement at how huge Elsa's house was.

"Wow," she said, "This is incredible. It's like a castle."

Because at 1:08 in the morning, she had no filter.

"It's not really that big."

"It's big to someone who grew up in a town house."

"I thought you said that you were the one raised in a castle, anyway?"

"You remember that?"

Elsa rolled her eyes, "Come on."

"Where?"

"There is no way that I am letting you sleep on my couch," Elsa turned around, gestured towards Anna's stained work clothes that now had hay practically sewn in with the fibers, "in _that_."

"Well fine then," Anna grumbled as she followed the senior upstairs, but she was really too exhausted to actually care.

"So clearly I would have offered you a guest room," Elsa said as she turned on the light in her room, "But although our house is fairly large, we don't exactly have one."

"Anything is better than a bale of hay," Anna said, squinting at the sudden brightness.

It took her eyes a little time to adjust, but when they did and Anna could actually see where she was, she saw that Elsa's room reflected everything about Elsa herself. It was primarily blue, with all white furniture, a few pictures here and there, a desk with plenty of folders and papers on it, and, of course, it was cleaner and tidier than humanly possible.

By the time Anna was finished examining her surroundings, Elsa had tossed her a pair of sweatpants and a long sleeve shirt, saying, "I hope they fit."

"Somehow I didn't picture you owning a pair of sweatpants."

"I'm a college student. If I didn't own a pair of sweatpants I'd be breaking the law."

 _I thought you made the law._

"Very funny," Elsa said. Anna grew slightly rigid when she realized she had spoken her thoughts aloud, but the senior continued on, not sounding annoyed at all. "Just go downstairs. I have an eight a.m. class."

"I…uh…didn't mean to say that. That happens a lot. Especially when I'm tired," Anna sighed inwardly at her social awkwardness and her mouth's lack of an 'off' button.

"It's fine."

"No, really, I—"

"Anna, I make the law, remember? Get out of my room so I can sleep!"

But through the senior's exasperation she thought she saw a hint of amusement.

And it gave Anna an idea that brought a wicked grin to her face.

"I could just sleep here on the floor. And then I wouldn't even have to change."

 _Anna. Filter. Now…_

Oh, but it was so much _fun_ to tease Elsa! The look on the senior's face was priceless.

"Get out."

"Nope," Anna plopped herself down on the floor, and stared right up into Elsa's increasingly widening eyes.

"I go through all of the trouble of finding you something to wear and now you want to sleep on the floor," Elsa said incredulously, shaking her head.

"What, you expect me to walk _all_ the way back downstairs after all of the walking I've done all night?"

"Would it kill you?"

"Maybe."

Elsa paused. And let out an audible and overly exaggerated sigh. And then said, "If I find _hay_ on my floor in the morning, you're vacuuming the whole room."

Anna was sure that the smile of a delighted toddler was present on her face, but she didn't care. Elsa handed her a spare blanket and a pillow, and left the room with a change of clothes.

 _What the hell is wrong with you?_ Anna asked herself as she pulled the blanket up to her chin and let her eyes slide shut as her head hit the pillow. _There's absolutely no reason that you had to stay here. And you can't blame your hyper mouth this time, either._

Anna was still trying to uncover the answer to her question when the door opened again, and Elsa walked back in.

From Anna's position on the floor, she was met with the sight of long, pale legs with clearly defined muscle, and although her mind told her not to, apparently her eyes acted on impulse the way her mouth did, and they continued to travel upwards, taking in the dark blue shorts and white tank top that were the most form-fitting articles of clothing that the senior had worn around Anna to date, and was it just her mind going crazy or was that tank top kind of…low cut?

Yeah, it was definitely low cut. No doubt about that.

And Anna's eyes didn't stop moving upwards until they met another rather wide set of blue ones.

Pointedly turning _away_ from Anna, Elsa picked up the abandoned long sleeved shirt from the floor and pulled it over her head.

Anna grimaced at her own actions and pulled the blanket all the way over her face.

But from somewhere in her little cocoon of darkness where she wanted to curl up and die of embarrassment, she heard a laugh.

Elsa was _laughing_ at her.

"Sorry," Anna grumbled, her face burning, "That wasn't what it…I mean I…I wasn't… _God_ I'm awkward. And…I'm going to stop trying to talk, now."

Anna heard the click of the light turning off. And a small creak of the bed.

Thinking that she was safe from further judgement, she rolled over and removed the blanket from her head before she could no longer breathe. But of course, when she did so, she saw nothing but blue eyes staring down at her.

And a small smile that still looked slightly amused.

"Go to sleep, Anna."

* * *

Anna didn't quite exactly know _how_ she had woken up.

But the sunlight that streamed obnoxiously through the room may have had something to do with it. And all she wanted was to go right back to sleep, but one look at her phone convinced her otherwise.

Had she really slept till _noon_?

What?

And…

 _Oh, shit._

Anna rolled over and looked up, taking in the sight of the blonde senior still sleeping.

 _She had an eight a.m.._

Anna got to her feet.

 _And I just missed work._

"E-Elsa?"

It took a few moments before the senior's eyes opened slightly, "Anna? What the…"

Elsa had one moment of confusion before everything seemed to come back to her, and her eyes shot open as she sat up, hands flying to the phone clutched in Anna's own.

"Crap," Elsa groaned and fell back onto the pillows, eyes pinched shut, "I just missed my first two classes."

"Well, I missed my shift at Starbucks," Anna said, "It's going to be fun trying to explain _that_."

Elsa opened one eye, "Well if _someone_ hadn't been so _distracting_ , I was going to set an _alarm_."

Anna's face flushed again. She had chalked her reaction up to how late it had been. And besides, it wasn't wrong to admire an appearance…was it?

 _There's a difference between admiring and gawking, genius_ , Anna resisted the urge to face-palm.

Elsa sighed, "Think you can be ready to go in a few minutes?"

"Yeah," Anna said, all thoughts of her personal awkwardness tossed aside.

"Go wait downstairs."

This time, Anna didn't need to be asked twice. She stepped into the hallway, and couldn't help but be slightly awed at the sight. It seemed _much_ larger in the bright daylight than it had in the middle of the night. She walked down the stairs, taking in the intricately carved wood of the banister, and, in a tribute to her ever-so-childish nature, imagined herself sliding all the way down that banister instead of walking.

 _Now_ then _Elsa would think you're completely crazy,_ Anna rolled her eyes _, As if she doesn't already._

Anna didn't exactly know where to wait, but decided on the kitchen. And luckily, she didn't have to wait for long, because only a minute later, Elsa was running into the kitchen, with her backpack over one shoulder, jacket in her arms, and hands attempting to twist the ends of platinum blonde hair into the remainder of a braid.

"You already missed two classes. What's the harm in being late to another one?" Anna's tone was joking, but if looks could kill…

"I will _not_ be late to physics."

"Every action has an equal and opposite reaction," Anna proudly recalled from her high school physics course.

"That's right. So if you don't get out the door right _now_ you're going to pay for it later."

"But we didn't even eat anything," Anna complained.

"You don't get to invade my room and my refrigerator," Elsa said as she picked her keys up off of the counter, "Seriously, let's _go_."

"Okay, okay," Anna said, "I'm coming."

Anna followed Elsa to the car, where she made a mental note to not put her feet anywhere except for the floor, and the ride to the college was short and quiet.

"Well, thanks for taking me back," Anna told the senior as she got out of the car, "I hope you're not too late to your class."

Elsa looked down to her phone before saying, "It looks like I'll just about make it."

Anna gave a small wave before heading off—in the direction of the dining hall because _wow_ was she hungry!

 _And of course my bike is at the barn, and I have a lesson tonight_ , Anna remembered, sighing.

On top of that, she really _would_ have quite the time explaining why she had missed work…

But her boss was fairly lenient, and it really _had_ been an emergency. The worst that would probably happen was that she'd get a warning for next time, since nothing like this had happened before.

So she didn't really mind.

Actually, she was rather happy with the way that everything had turned out.

All awkwardness—and of course the scare of Dee's colic episode—set aside, she and Elsa had been able to move past what had happened that night with Lance and work together, which made last night an overall positive in Anna's opinion.

 _Because every action has an equal and opposite reaction_ , Anna thought, laughing at her own joke.

No matter how much Elsa tried to push Anna away, Anna would keep fighting to be closer.

* * *

 **A/n:** So did that make everything better? :) Conflict is resolved for now. Or at least put on the back burner to deal with later...

But onto more serious matters. Colic. In short, it's everything that was explained in the actual chapter. And as far as the 'horse shit' comment that was so eloquently put by Elsa, here's an explanation if you're still confused about how colic works: the only way to know if a horse's digestive tract is no longer blocked is if everything that goes in it comes out so…that's where that one came from. Sorry if you read that and had no clue what it meant, but there was really no feasible way to try to explain that in the story with two people who are so tired that they don't know what to do with themselves.

And speaking of not knowing what to do with themselves…poor Anna doesn't even know what's coming for her. Gawking? Oh, that's only the beginning of it…

Thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

Despite Anna's perception of the days dragging on, the month of October, and the chill and horse blankets that accompanied it, came much more quickly than Anna had anticipated.

"Are you ready for the show this weekend?" Kristoff asked, as he and Anna walked from the latest team meeting back to their building.

"I think so," Anna said, "I'm kind of nervous, but with Weselton pushing us as hard as he has, I think we're all really more prepared than we think we are."

Kristoff laughed, "You can say that again."

The next show was indeed in only two days. They would have Friday off, as they had for the previous show, but it would still be an early morning. The show was at a barn an hour and a half away, and the team was expected to arrive by ten. So it was virtually like waking up for an eight a.m. class.

 _But make that an eight a.m. with a major exam._

Because the stress and anxiety that came with the pressures of showing, in addition to not knowing which horse she would end up with, really did affect Anna.

A lot.

And more than she was letting on about with Kristoff.

She said a quick goodbye to her friend before heading into her room, where she was surprised to find that her roommate was still awake. And before she had even shut the door, Rapunzel squealed, "I have a date! I have a date!"

A grin instantly came to Anna's face, "With Flynn?"

"Yeah," Rapunzel's smile never left her face, "I mean, it's technically not a _date_ date…"

"I'm not buying that," Anna said as she plopped herself down on her bed.

"He asked me to come with to your team's second show," Rapunzel said.

"That is _still_ a date. Especially because this show isn't at our barn. I didn't even know that non-team members could go."

"Apparently so," Rapunzel shrugged, "But…I'm pretty excited."

"You should be," Anna said, truly happy for her roommate.

But she had really begun to wonder that if _anyone_ could go to the shows, then would…Elsa go to the show?

 _Probably not_ , Anna decided almost immediately.

Elsa had pointedly said that she rarely went to the shows at her _own_ barn.

 _But she went to this past one…_

Anna decided that she would just ask at work the next day. Elsa had also said that she was off on Saturdays, after all.

* * *

"Anna, I already _told_ you, just because I'm off doesn't mean I can do whatever I want. I'm still the one who's called if something goes wrong."

"So that's a no then?" Anna couldn't ignore the feeling of disappointment she had, even though she had been prepared for Elsa's answer. And she didn't exactly understand why it bothered her, either, but she decided to focus her energy on her sweeping instead of dwelling on it.

"That's a no," Elsa confirmed.

"I don't know how you do it," Anna said.

"Do what?"

"How your life is entirely…" Anna waved with one hand to indicate the barn and the horses, " _this_. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love being around the horses, but in the position that you're in, doesn't it ever get…I don't know…" Anna trailed off, not exactly knowing where she was going with this, and also not entirely sure if she should _continue_ to go on with this.

Because this was a topic that was usually strictly off-limits: Elsa and Elsa's life.

But the senior surprised her, filling in the last of Anna's sentence with adjectives of her own, "Boring? Repetitive? Annoying? Agitating?" Elsa's blue eyes were no longer on Anna, but directed somewhere towards one of the stalls where Knight stood wrapped in a royal blue blanket, "But it's not like I have a choice. I do what my parents want. No questions asked."

Anna felt a pang of sympathy for the senior. Anna's own parents had told her to pursue whatever degree she wanted. That was why she was currently undecided as far as her major.

"So…that's the only reason you're a business major."

Elsa only nodded.

"But why?" Anna asked.

"What do you mean 'why'? They want the business to stay in the family. It's profitable. And while they travel they need someone to keep it running. They need someone to pass it on to," Elsa said, but somehow her words seemed more sad and distant than they had before.

Anna wondered how much more of the senior's life had been dictated by her parents.

 _There is so much about you that I don't know_.

Blue eyes were for the first time torn from the distance and back to Anna, "And?"

"What?" Anna asked, completely confused.

"You did it again, didn't you?" Elsa's frown turned into a small smirk.

" _What_?" Anna demanded.

"There _is_ a lot about me that you don't know."

Anna nearly dropped the broom as she slapped one hand over her mouth.

 _Oh yes, Anna, you_ have _done it again_ , Anna thought as her face burned. _Stupid mouth._

"I must say, though, you're just about the only one who's ever really cared," Elsa said, and Anna didn't know how to interpret the statement. Was Elsa being sarcastic? Facetious?

"Is that…a good thing?" Anna asked.

"I mean I don't really care either way. You can know my entire history, but that doesn't change the fact that you answer to me."

 _Definitely facetious_.

Because…it was said in such a way that Elsa was trying to hide how much it really _did_ bother her. Anna could tell because of the way that Elsa was no longer looking her quite in the eye, and the way her fingers flew to her braid for a brief moment. And Anna could only imagine what it was like, to be the daughter of highly-respected parents, expected to live up to the full potential to follow in their footsteps, and to have her life defined by others—so much so that the Elsa who stood here before her could very well be someone else entirely. Someone so far removed from the Elsa that could have been.

And _this_ was the Elsa that Anna so desperately wanted to know. The Elsa who perhaps had fears or worries; had dreams and aspirations and hopes beyond the goals her parents had set for her. The Elsa who, Anna was almost completely certain, no one else had ever seen.

"So if you don't care…then I can ask you a question," Anna said as she picked up the broom once more.

Elsa seemed to contemplate Anna's comment for a moment before saying, "That doesn't mean I'm going to answer it."

"I'll take my chances."

Elsa merely folded her arms and leaned against the nearest stall, "Then start asking. I don't have all night."

Anna fought the elated grin that threatened to break out on her face, "So I want to know why you're in a freshman level chemistry lab."

"I'm a physics minor," Elsa said, "And apparently basic chemistry is a foundational requirement for all science tracks."

"Why physics?"

"You said one question."

"Oh, come on. That's _so_ unfair!" Anna exclaimed.

Elsa sighed, and scuffed the bottom of one of her perfect black leather riding boots across the ground in front of her before crossing it over her other ankle, "It would have been my major. But clearly, that wasn't happening. I convinced my parents in the beginning of my junior year that I could take it as a minor without it getting in the way of…all of _this_."

This, again, meaning the barn.

Anna paused for a moment, and then asked, "So do you ever compete? Or show any of the horses?"

"Only in dressage. But the primary reason I show is to take the training horses to rated shows. The more experience and ribbons, the more valuable they are for sales."

Anna nodded her head. That made sense.

Taking in the senior's appearance, this time a purple polo shirt, Anna asked another question that had been bothering her, "So why do you always wear short sleeve polo shirts? Especially when it's so cold in here."

Elsa seemed confused about the question at first; Anna had to admit, it was kind of random. But she wanted to know and much to her surprise, the senior actually answered her, the words prefaced by a small shrug, "The cold never bothered me."

Okay. Well. It was a simple answer. Not the one that Anna had been expecting—but then again, what kind of answer _had_ she been expecting?

But no matter; Anna had many more questions that she needed answers to.

"How did you know my name the first day of chem lab?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"How did you know my name?" Anna repeated, taking note of how uncomfortable Elsa suddenly seemed to look.

"I…don't even know what you're talking about."

"Ha! You hesitated!" Anna exclaimed, crossing her arms in triumph.

"I did not."

"Answer the question."

"You're impossible."

Anna glared.

"Fine," Elsa sighed again, "I…may or may not have looked up your number from the tryouts and matched it to your paperwork."

 _What? Why? So she did notice me before all of this?_

"Uh, you…did?"

"How else do you think you ended up being the one to ride Dee without a martingale in your lessons?" Elsa said, composure completely regained.

 _Oh._

"Okay. Fine. Next question. Do you think you'll ever move out? Like, are you going to live with your parents for the rest of your life?"

"No!" Elsa's response was so sudden and forceful that Elsa herself looked a little shocked that it had come out the way it had, "I mean… _no_ …I don't plan on living here for the rest of my life. I'll…just have to find some place close. Even though at the moment, I've got the house to myself. It's a rare occasion that my parents are ever home."

"Why do they travel so much?"

"They…claim it's business. They're always looking for bigger and better prospective training projects; any publicity they can bring to our business. And we're not just talking the state or the country here. We're talking _worldwide_ …" Elsa trailed off.

"But you don't buy it," Anna guessed.

Elsa paused, seeming to deliberate whether or not she wanted to say anything more on the subject. And much to Anna's pleasure, the senior continued talking, "It's not that I think they're _lying_ or anything. Because they're not. I just think that traveling was always their…passion. And now they want to pursue it. So they're gone more often than they're here, and while they get to do what they want, I'm stuck here."

"That is _so_ not right!" Anna was slightly surprised at how much this infuriated her, but continued ranting, "How do they have the right to do that? Like seriously, I know they're your parents, but you're an adult. They can't keep telling you what to do! They can't just expect you to—"

Elsa raised her eyebrows and gave Anna a look that clearly said 'calm yourself and stop making a scene'. Even some of the horses had stuck their heads over their stall doors to inspect the commotion.

Anna gave a small cough, "What I meant was…that's unfortunate."

"Well, it's life."

Elsa's favorite phrase.

Anna hated it.

"I'm sure you could do _something_ ," Anna said.

"That's why I have the physics minor," Elsa paused for a moment, again seeming to decide how much she wanted to say before continuing, "Right now my parents have the final say on who works here. But I figured that sometime in the future when I'm running the place, I can essentially hire more employees. And then I'll have more time. It'll still be what they want—it's technically going to 'stay in the family' because I'll still be running it. And I'm hoping…to go into research, maybe. Or engineering, even though that would require more years of school…" Elsa trailed off and looked to the ground, as if she thought she had said too much.

"I could totally see it," Anna grinned.

Elsa's blue eyes, now thoughtful and almost excited, once again met Anna's own, "Really?"

"Yeah," Anna said, "I know _I_ couldn't do it. But you've got the motivation. The devotion. The _brain_."

"I don't know everything," Elsa stated, rather matter-of-factly.

"Says the one who's the reason I have a hundred percent average in chem lab."

Elsa only shook her head in an attempt to just brush off any mention of her academic talent. And while Anna would have pursued it further, she let this one slide.

Because she had a much better question that she was just _dying_ to know the answer to.

"So enough about school. I have one last question."

"Which is?"

A sly smile found its way to Anna's face, "What does your tattoo say?"

One corner of the senior's mouth curved upwards. Then it grew into a smirk.

Clearly, this one was non-negotiable.

"Now _that_ , I am not going to answer."

* * *

"Anna get _up_ already! We need to leave soon!"

The excited voice of Anna's roommate was one that was oddly out of place at six thirty in the morning. Normally, Rapunzel would be the one hiding under the covers, but now her roommate was practically bouncing off the walls, already dressed, including the spare pair of riding boots that Anna had lent her (a favor in response to Rapunzel's nonstop complaining of how she didn't want to ruin her only pair of white sneakers that she had worn to the barn the first time).

Anna groaned, "Fine."

She yawned, taking her time getting up, but once she looked at the clock and _understood_ that it was six thirty, she began rushing around, all thoughts of tiredness gone.

"Why didn't you wake me up before!" she cried.

 _And thank God I had half a mind to get everything together last night_.

"Well, I _tried_. But when you slept through the alarm I knew it would be torture to even get you to open your eyes."

Anna sighed, "Go get me something to eat. I'm not going to have time for breakfast. I'll meet you back here before we go, okay?"

Her roommate didn't even seem bothered by Anna's request—which had come out as more of an order.

"Sure," Rapunzel said, "But only if I can smuggle something out of there. You know how they are about that."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Anna said, but who could really think about food at this point, anyway? She was already nervous about the show, so the food in her stomach definitely wouldn't sit well with her later.

As soon as her roommate was out the door, Anna scrambled to change. She threw on a pair of jeans, knowing that if she left in her show breeches they would get destroyed before she even got to the barn. She did, however, put on her white show shirt, placed the navy blue show jacket in her bag with the breeches, and threw an old, normal, zip-up jacket over the show shirt.

Then she pulled on her tall show boots and double checked her bag to make sure she had everything—forgetting things had become commonplace for Anna, and she didn't want a repeat of the tryouts when she had left her helmet in her dorm room.

 _Especially because it led me straight to Hans_ , Anna was instantly repulsed at the thought.

As if her stomach need something else to churn over.

And she didn't know why she got so anxious about these shows, either. She was a good rider. Not the absolute best, but good enough to have proven herself worthy to be a part of the team. So why did she continue to doubt herself?

 _In the same way that you almost let Hans talk down to you_.

The thought, although Anna had tried to banish it, resurfaced against her will.

But she shoved it away again, not wanting to dwell any more on Hans. Even though she would see him today (since they were on the same _team_ , as much as that disgusted her as well) she hoped that they wouldn't exactly cross each other's paths. And transportation was only going to help her in this regard; the college provided a bus, but team members could drive if the distance was within two hours away. Naturally, Kristoff had offered Anna a ride, who had passed the offer along to Rapunzel. However, as Anna had assumed, she would be taking the bus with Flynn, as team captains were required to travel with the team.

Not a minute after Anna had closed her bag, Rapunzel burst through the room and tossed Anna a bagel before saying, "I need to go catch the bus. And Kristoff was at the dining hall and told me to tell you to meet him in the main parking lot."

"Thank you _so_ much," Anna said, "And I guess I'll see you there, then."

Rapunzel gave a small wave before heading down the hallway, leaving Anna to shut the light and close the door.

Bag over her shoulder, Anna hurried to the parking lot, where Kristoff was already waiting in his car. And before she could even get in he said, "So I think I left my helmet at the barn."

"Oh," Anna said, resisting the urge to laugh, "And you tell me that _I_ forget things."

"Yeah, well," Kristoff mumbled, "Hopefully we won't be late, now."

"I doubt it," Anna said as they headed off campus and turned down the road towards the barn.

It only took three minutes this morning; there was barely any traffic at all. It certainly didn't provide Anna with enough time to put her hair into her two signature braids as she had planned to. And so by the time they arrived, Anna had one braid half completed, and had to continue it while she followed Kristoff into the barn and up to the lounge, where Kristoff was certain that he had left the helmet in one of the lockers.

But when they walked in, Anna was surprised to find Elsa there. And the senior's slightly widened eyes made Anna realize that Elsa was equally as surprised to see them.

"I thought you had a show today," Elsa said.

"We do, but Kristoff left his helmet here."

"Oh," Elsa said, "Actually I think I might have it in the office. I had to clean everything out of here yesterday, and came across a helmet."

And it wasn't until the two of them turned to follow Elsa down to the office that Anna suddenly realized how ridiculous she must look; what with her old, worn jacket half zipped, the hood probably inside out and flopped somewhere over her shoulder in her rush to put it on, her show shirt buttoned all the way up to the collar, her torn jeans paired with tall show boots, and only one completed braid with the rest of her hair loose down the left side of her face, she was sure she was making quite a fashion statement. She might work in old clothes, but the fact that she was at this _particular_ barn looking the way she was, especially with the half-done hair…it made her a little self-conscious. And her desperate scrambling to start her other braid, while simultaneously attempting to fully zipper her jacket, didn't go unnoticed by Kristoff.

"You look fine."

"What are you talking about?" Anna said, trying to brush it off.

Kristoff gave her a look that told her that she knew exactly what he was talking about. But she only rolled her eyes, too tired to argue with him.

And Elsa, if she caught any of the conversation, chose to ignore it, simply walking into the office and returning with the helmet that she had found, "Is this it?"

"Yeah," Kristoff said, "Thanks for holding onto it."

"Not a problem," Elsa said, "Good luck at the show."

Kristoff said a brief thank you, and Anna echoed his response, her attention focused on finishing her braid. And by the time she had wrapped the last of the elastic around it and muttered a quick, "There. That's better," she found that Kristoff had already turned to go. And she was about to turn on her heels and follow him when she heard something that kept her rooted in place.

"I thought it looked nice," Elsa's eyes were soft; she wasn't joking, or making light of the situation, "You should wear it down more often."

"O-oh," Anna said, genuinely surprised, as compliments from Elsa were rare, "Thanks."

The senior gave her a small smile before heading back into the office and closing the door.

"Anna, come on!"

Kristoff's call drew her out of her stunned state, and it was an abrupt enough distraction to keep her from trying to analyze why her face now seemed to be burning.

* * *

 _Okay, Anna. Deep breaths. It's all going to be okay._

The barn was a rush of commotion everywhere she looked, and the petite pinto horse that Anna had been assigned to ride was shifting nervously beneath her. As if Anna needed anything more to worry about, now the _horse_ seemed nervous. Anna could feel the worry radiating through the saddle, and saw nervous ears flicking back and forth.

The arena was smaller than the one they all practiced in, but that didn't make the large strangeness of it any less intimidating as Anna walked the pinto horse, Patriot, into the arena. She couldn't even pick out the face of her roommate or any of her teammates in the crowd.

 _Focus on the horse. Just the horse._

The course consisted of all vertical jumps this time, but their heights were fairly low. The majority of them were set to the minimum height requirement for her division with the exception of the last two.

As she prepared to canter, she could feel Patriot already pulling at the bit.

 _I'm always stuck with the troublemakers_ , Anna sighed.

She had to ask twice for the gelding to pick up the canter lead, and Anna breathed a sigh of relief when he picked up the correct one.

When she directed Patriot at the first jump, he took it with ease, but jerked his head up when he landed, and Anna knew that he was going to try to move faster towards the next jump. To prevent this, she leaned back and put a little more pressure on the reins, but still gave Patriot room to move. Her efforts paid off, enabling them to get over the next three jumps without a problem.

They were moving at a steady pace, heading towards the second to last jump. And Anna was sure that everything would go smoothly from there on out. But, as if she hadn't already had enough trouble, 'smoothly' was far cry from the word she would have used to describe what happened next.

Anna had looked for the distance; saw that they were ideally two strides away. When suddenly…Patriot decided that the bright yellow coloring on the poles of the jump was terrifying. And instead of going over the jump, he skidded to a stop, throwing Anna slightly off balance.

 _Why?_ Anna groaned internally.

The refusal would count against her. And she would only get two more attempts at the jump; three refusals counted as a disqualification.

Anna turned Patriot in a circle to face the jump again, and this time, she tapped Patriot with her heels on the approach. But then she felt the sudden jolt of a second refusal, this time tossing her forward onto the gelding's neck.

At this point, the entire crowd had gone silent, much to Anna's displeasure. But she let all thoughts leave her mind except for those of Patriot.

 _And how he'd better_ listen _this time_ …

Anna circled Patriot once more. And, after having gone through it twice already, Anna could feel exactly when Patriot became unsure and was about to stop. And so she did something that she normally tried to avoid at all costs. Sometimes it was inevitable, like it was in this moment. And it wasn't that it was a _bad_ thing either. The horse needed to learn to respect the rider, and often needed a little extra encouragement.

Anna resorted to the riding crop that she carried in her right hand, and reached behind her to tap the horse behind the girth.

But when she did this, she was _not_ expecting such a reaction from an experienced school horse.

Patriot pinned his ears and bucked.

Forget about getting over the jump; now all Anna wanted was to stay in the saddle. Which she managed, thankfully. The buck was nothing compared to the one than had thrown her off of Lance, but it still caught her off guard. And the realization that she was now disqualified didn't even hit her until Patriot was once again calm and walking.

Anna sighed, walking the horse out of the arena and tuning out the commentary of the announcer.

 _If only someone didn't think that the color yellow was life threatening_.

* * *

"It was _awful_ ," Anna complained at work the next day.

She and Elsa had actually struck up a conversation before Anna's shift began, which was something that didn't normally happen.

"I'm sure it wasn't that bad," Elsa said, "What happened?"

"The horse refused twice. And then instead of just refusing the second time, he had to go ahead and buck like a maniac. So I was disqualified," Anna recalled the information, even though, somehow when she said it, it didn't seem as dramatic as it had felt in the moment.

"Did you stay on this time at least?" Elsa asked—no doubt remembering the crazy experience that Anna had had with Lance.

"Yes," Anna said, very matter-of-factly, "Yes I did."

"Then it wasn't awful. It just could have been better."

Anna contemplated the senior's comment. Somehow Elsa didn't always strike her as optimistic, but it was moments like this that sometimes caused her to change her mind.

Anna shrugged, "I guess."

"And you placed third at the last show."

 _She remembers that?_

"I did," Anna said.

"Then you shouldn't worry about it."

"But it was the last show before break," Anna sighed.

"Lighten up," Elsa said—and the words seemed extremely out of place coming from the senior.

"Well, maybe I could if there was something to look forward to in the near future besides a million exams and studying and work and riding in the freezing cold—" Anna stopped there, realizing that everything she had just stated was something that she hadn't really meant to say aloud at all.

And although Anna sounded frustrated and was full of complaints, Elsa didn't seem to mind, instead giving the redhead something else to think about, "You can look forward to the party."

"Huh?" Anna asked, "What party?"

"Your team insists on having a party before winter break," Elsa said, and from her tone, Anna couldn't tell if the senior approved of this or not.

"Since when? And where?" Anna was still slightly confused.

"Since as long as I can remember," Elsa said, "And as far as _where_ …my parents offer the house."

" _What_!?" Anna exclaimed incredulously.

"Well, they're gone nearly all the time. So what would it matter, anyway?"

That was a point that Anna couldn't argue with. And also one that she didn't know quite how to respond to. So...she decided to ask a question that had suddenly formed in her mind and was in no way going to stop bothering her until she asked it: "So do you ever, uh, go to one of these parties?"

"No, I usually don't."

Okay. Well, really, there was no surprise there.

But still, Anna couldn't help the incredulous smile that came to her face, "So you mean to tell me that a whole group of insane college students is allowed to just invade your _house_ and have a _party_ without supervision?"

"My parents have someone stay at the barn just in case, although everyone I know who's stayed has ended up falling asleep on the job. And the team captains attend the party. They're technically the supervisors…" Elsa looked down at one of the papers on her desk, "But I'm fairly certain that many things have happened that they haven't yet been inclined to share with me."

"But why do you let it continue, then? Why don't you do anything about it?" Anna asked.

It didn't seem like Elsa at all, always in control and maintaining order, to allow the crazy members of the team to wreak havoc in her own house.

Elsa only shrugged, "It's a way for them to celebrate the first half of the show season, I guess. It only happens once, before the semester is over."

But here was Elsa again, avoiding the question. Diverting it from herself. Holding something back.

And although it frustrated Anna beyond belief that they'd come so far, and Elsa still refused to open up, Anna didn't want to push her.

If she did, they'd have to start over from the beginning, like when Anna had critiqued Elsa's riding.

And while all had worked out afterwards, Anna didn't want to ruin anything.

She didn't think she could handle it if Elsa shut her out completely.

* * *

" _Anna_ , the door."

Anna froze in place on Thursday evening.

Something about Elsa's comment had caught her off guard.

Instead of placing emphasis on 'the door', as she usually did, Elsa had pointedly placed emphasis on Anna's _name_.

Elsa—who strung her sentences together so precisely; who chose her words so carefully, with some inconspicuous intended meaning behind each phrase that Anna was always determined to uncover—had said something in a way that Anna never thought she would.

 _You're being crazy. Thinking way too much into it_ , Anna told herself as she closed the door. _It means nothing_ …

But did it? Did it mean _something_?

The thought plagued Anna's mind as she worked.

Why was Elsa so hard to understand? How could she seem like she was opening up to Anna, but then ever so subtly revert back to hiding again? Answering Anna's questions, and avoiding others? Sometimes opening up, yet most times hiding behind such rigid, emotionless features that Anna could barely read them. It was the presence that Elsa put on in front of others; the one that Anna had gotten past quite a few times…but had never completely gotten _through_ to.

Anna could picture the senior clearly in her mind, even though Elsa was nowhere to be seen; not a hair in that platinum blonde braid out of place. And those perfect ice blue eyes that Anna could only _sometimes_ get to actually _see_.

Only _sometimes_ would they soften; looking at Anna as…as what?

Her equal? Her friend?

And then sometimes Anna could get her to smile.

That wonderful little smile that was Elsa's and Elsa's alone—not bright and radiant, but a small tug at the corner of one side of her mouth.

A smile that Anna completely adored…

 _Wait, what?_

Anna stopped short.

It…was a smile that Anna enjoyed bringing to Elsa's face. And that laugh that would sometimes come with it…

 _What? What? What!?_

' _Anna the door.'_

She wanted Elsa to need her for something.

To _want_ her for something.

"Oh my God," Anna breathed.

She had to place a hand on Dee, from where she was standing in the mare's stall, to steady herself.

' _Anna, the_ door _.'_

She wanted Elsa to need _her_ for something.

 _'_ Anna _, the door.'_

 _'_ _Anna.'_

 _'_ Anna _.'_

How had she been so blind?

The way she felt the need to look presentable. The way she reveled in every compliment. The way she sought approval. Her desperate and ceaseless longing to be _closer_ …

Anna had been so caught up in trying to get through to Elsa that she hadn't even begun to understand _herself_.

She liked Elsa.

Anna _liked_ Elsa.

"Oh God, Dee," Anna whispered, her words heard only by ever attentive ears of the chestnut mare, "I like Elsa."

* * *

 **A/n:** So I hope that answered some questions. Elsa's somewhat less of a mystery now.

Annnndddd…welcome to reality, Anna! She _finally_ has an idea of what's going on!

Some horsey terms: It's just a small one, but I'll explain canter leads. The horse has two canter leads—the right and the left. They're dependent upon which front leg moves forward first and which back leg is used to push off of the ground with. Naturally, there's one lead for each direction. It's a balance thing, although some horses have trouble picking up the correct lead. But here's a fun fact: in dressage, there's something called the counter canter, which is really cantering on the wrong lead. And I just realized that I don't think I ever really explained what dressage is, so I'll explain that now because it's going to be mentioned more. Basically, it's just another discipline, in which the horse and rider only perform on the flat (no jumping involved) and it's focused mainly on the transitions from movement to movement. The rider has to memorize the pattern of movements, which is called a dressage test, and the perimeter of the arena is marked with letters at which the different movements need to be performed. And that's the basic overview of dressage, so hopefully it makes sense!

Thanks for reading!


	11. Chapter 11

For the rest of the week, Anna couldn't exactly think.

It was more like she moved on autopilot, her mind consumed by only one thing—this strange realization.

Anna had no other way to describe it.

She had never felt this way before, and spent many hours trying to logically talk herself out of it. There had to be _some_ other reason to explain it; some other answer for her strange attraction besides the one that had so suddenly dawned on her.

But there just…wasn't.

She _liked_ Elsa.

And eventually she just accepted it.

She had never been in any relationships in the past. Actually, Hans had been her first official date (minus the prom date her high school friends had found for her; he was definitely not someone that Anna would have found on her own). And she had thrown herself at the chance to go on a date with Hans without even really considering… _anything_.

"My life is complicated enough already," Anna sighed, putting her head in her hands.

Even the pre-calculus problem that she was currently attempting to solve seemed simpler when it took her half an hour to get the right answer.

And the one thought that plagued her mind the most was that if she herself had just realized this _now_ , did anyone else know?

Did _Elsa_ know?

And did she… _could she_ …feel the same way?

 _No_ , Anna thought, almost immediately. _How could you even think like that? She just barely started to have normal conversations with you. And you don't even know anything about her…in that regard, anyway._

And Anna apparently barely knew anything about _herself_ , so how could she jump to conclusions about someone else?

Anna took in a sharp breath and let it out slowly.

She could deal with this.

She could live with this.

She just…wasn't quite sure _how_.

* * *

Maybe what Anna had overlooked _most_ in her careful deliberation on the matter was just how natural talking to Elsa and getting to know her better really seemed to be.

Anna had worried that, after this, she would let her thoughts get the better of her; making her even more self-conscious in the presence of the senior with her newfound realization. But everything just seemed to remain, well, _normal_ , the next time Anna showed up for work.

And maybe…that was what mattered most.

No, it was _definitely_ what mattered most.

It wasn't something that she had to _deal_ with.

Because if it was normal, then it was something that just _was_.

And Anna wasn't going to ignore it.

Or apologize for it.

Or make excuses for it.

She liked Elsa.

And while she wasn't certain that the senior felt the same way, Anna was _almost_ positive that she was single.

 _But of course, there you go again, jumping to conclusions_ , Anna reminded herself as she worked her way down the rows of stalls. If there was one thing that was good about being assigned to stall work, it was that it gave her plenty of time to think. And she spent a good portion of the next Sunday's shift wondering if the idea was too good to be true.

She had never seen Elsa with anyone; had never heard her _mention_ anything about anyone. So it was a fair assumption.

 _Just not one that can be proven entirely true._

Such complications.

Anna sighed, deciding that she had thought about it enough for one night. She finished with the stalls and went to feed the horses, and when she did so, she made sure to double check the list to make sure that none of the horses' feed requirements had changed. But when she looked at the paper, while there were no notes about dietary adjustments, Anna noticed something on her list of assignments that she had missed. She had been so caught up in her own thoughts that she hadn't really read the list; just assumed that everything was the same as it always was. Because not once yet had she actually been asked to do anything different written on the piece of paper.

But there, in Elsa's handwriting next to the normal typed list of jobs, was 'finish unloading hay delivery'.

 _My favorite thing in the world_ , Anna groaned.

She checked her phone, seeing that it was nearly seven fifteen. Had Anna paid attention, it would have been the first thing that she would have done. But…at least it said 'finish'. So, that had to mean it had to be at least half done, right?

 _Guess you'll just have to go and check_.

Anna knew that, at her old barn, unloading hay was quite a tedious job. It came stacked on the truck about four or five bales high, and however many bales deep…and each one weighed about fifty pounds. The bales would all have to be taken off of the truck, and then stacked once more in the hay barn, which needed to be done very carefully and precisely because if one was out of place or slightly off balance, the entire stack could topple over within a few seconds.

And when Anna walked outside, she saw the pile of hay bales still sitting in the back of a black truck that she had just so happened to miss while bringing horses in and turning them out.

There were still about thirty or so left.

 _Great. And she expects me to do all of this by myself?_

Thankfully, because it had indeed been started before she had arrived, the hay bales were only stacked three high on the truck. So while she would have to actually climb up onto the truck and toss the top ones down, she would be able to reach the rest of them from the ground afterwards.

 _Why?_ Anna groaned again, tossing her head all the way back and staring up at the sky, in a single moment of allowing herself to feel bad for her current predicament.

But when she did that, she noticed that even though it was nighttime and everything was growing darker, the clouds seemed to have lost their white hue and turned gray…

 _Dammit_.

Well, now she had royally screwed up.

Now it was going to rain, and all these hay bales couldn't get wet because being soaked by rain, and then stacked in a humid environment to dry could cause them to catch fire _very_ easily.

 _And I can't do it all by myself that quickly!_

So she had two options.

She could _try_ to get it all done before it started to rain. Or…she could go admit to Elsa that she hadn't been paying attention (although she didn't need to know _why_ ) and ask her for help. But if she tried to get it all done, she knew that whatever she didn't get inside would be wasted, essentially. And she knew that Elsa would probably be more upset with her if that happened, because hay wasn't cheap. So quickly she hurried to the office and knocked, hoping that Elsa wasn't busy or on the phone. And luckily, she wasn't.

"What's up?" Elsa asked.

"So…I kind of didn't _completely_ read the list of what I had to do. And I just saw that note about unloading the hay now. And it looks like it's going to rain, and I know that they can't stay out there. But I don't think I can do it all by myself. I mean, I _could_ do it by myself if I had more time, but I don't think I _do_ have that much time because of the rain. And I didn't exactly know what to do and I'm sorry because I should have paid more attention, but I was just so used to the normal routine and I know it's no excuse but—"

"Anna, calm down."

Anna felt her face burn slightly when she realized she'd been rambling, "Sorry," she apologized again.

"I should have told you before you started," Elsa said.

And that was the last thing Anna had expected to hear from the senior. Elsa wasn't blaming Anna for being unaware (well, more like being insanely lost in certain thoughts). She was….saying that it wasn't entirely Anna's fault.

"You shouldn't have to tell me. It was written there. I should have seen it," Anna said.

"Well, what's done is done. So why don't we stop talking and go finish as much of it as we can, okay?"

 _We?_

Did that mean…

Elsa typed something else on her computer, and then stood from the desk, "Come on. Let's not waste any more time."

 _Yes!_

Anna grinned. Now she wouldn't have to do it all by herself.

She turned and followed the senior back to where she had left the untouched stack of hay bales.

"So if I toss down the hay bales from the top can you just bring them inside and we'll stack them all later?" Elsa asked.

"That's fine with me," Anna said, perfectly happy to stay on the ground.

 _And the view's not too bad either_ , Anna thought, as she watched the senior effortlessly climbed into the back of the truck and started lifting those hay bales like they were five pounds instead of fifty.

 _But don't get distracted_ , Anna reprimanded herself, _that's the whole reason that you're in this predicament to begin with._

But somehow…the word 'predicament' didn't seem to fit the situation any more.

Because she really enjoyed working with Elsa.

In a way, it was almost like working without anyone else; the senior didn't really talk at all. She was completely focused on the task at hand.

And _that_ was what Anna like the most. She could be in Elsa's presence without feeling the need to actually say anything at all.

With the two of them working together, the hay bales were under cover just before the rain began. And it wasn't just a light rain either—it was a _downpour_. The pastures were definitely going to turn to mud and…

 _Oh crap._

"The horses are still out," Anna said, and followed it with a sigh.

She looked to the ground in the hay barn, where the bales of hay were tossed here and there, in an extremely unorganized disarray around her feet, and remembered that she still had to feed the horses, and sweep the whole barn, and _now_ she would have to bring in all of the horses in turnout…

"I'll get them."

"What? No, you don't have to do that," Anna said. Elsa had already helped her with the hay bales, after all.

"You need to finish stacking these," Elsa was already turning to go.

"But it's pouring and you don't even have a jacket."

"It's just rain," Elsa said, and before Anna could say anything more, she stepped outside.

 _You could have given her_ your _jacket_ , Anna thought only seconds later.

But she didn't dwell on it.

In the words of the senior, what was done, was done.

And so, Anna began stacking the hay bales one by one. But because she was starting a new pile, most of the hay bales just needed to be moved around to make a stable base, which left only a few remaining hay bales to actually be lifted on top of the others. So while it felt like it had taken her forever, Anna found that it had only taken her about ten minutes.

And now all she needed to do was finish feeding the horses and sweep without her arms falling off.

She pulled her hood all the way over her head and ran to the main barn, attempting to avoid the massive puddles that had pooled in various spots along the path, but inevitably ended up misjudging most of them.

When she was once again inside, she unzipped her jacket, and while attempting to shake off as much of the excess rain water as possible, made her way to the feed room. On her way there, she saw Elsa walking back from the opposite end of the barn; no doubt having just brought in the last of the horses. But what Anna noticed as Elsa came closer was that, because of the senior's lack of a jacket, her entire shirt was soaked through, making the material cling to her in such a way that Anna had to force herself to look away from it. And when she had managed to do that, she noticed something else. Elsa had her hair all the way over to one side, completely wringing it out. And when she let go of it, Anna saw that it wasn't in a braid; instead it fell loosely around the senior's face, slightly wavy, and…

 _Really pretty_.

"I think there's something that I definitely need to look into," Elsa said, and it took Anna a moment to realize that the blonde was now only a few feet away from her and actually talking to her.

 _Like wearing_ your _hair down more often?_

"And…what would that be?" Anna managed to string together a response.

"Getting run-in sheds for the pastures. Then we could actually leave the horses out there because they'd have somewhere to go."

Anna nodded slowly, "Yeah. That…would be a good idea."

 _And it would be a good idea to stop_ staring…

"Well I think I'm going to change," Elsa said, after a few moments, when Anna couldn't exactly seem to pull herself together, "And with everything you have left to do, I'm sure I'll be back by the time you're finished and I can drive you back to campus."

 _Seriously. Anna. Focus._

"Right," Anna said, "Yeah. I have to finish. Feeding. And sweeping. And a ride back would be great."

Anna's face burned again as soon as the senior had left.

 _I'm a mess._

But the thought that refused to leave Anna's mind was the fact that…Elsa didn't seem to mind.

* * *

The chill in the air was definitely present when Anna biked to the barn the following Sunday, and she instantly regretted not wearing something warmer. But there was nothing she was going to be able to do about it now. Instead of focusing on how cold she was, she left her bike leaning against the barn doors and walked to the office to sign in. But when she rounded the corner, she was met with a sight that made her eyes grow wide.

The office door was… _open_.

But why?

 _Maybe she's expecting someone else_ , Anna thought.

But that couldn't be right. Because it was only Anna who worked on Sundays, and by now, she knew that the lesson schedule on Sundays both began and ended early, meaning that all of the Sunday lessons ended before Anna's shift.

Anna didn't know what to think.

Except for one thought that came briefly to her mind, however twisted and obnoxious and annoying the person who had spoken those words to her was…

 _Love is an open door_.

And her face burned slightly when she recalled that phrase in this particular scenario.

 _God, stop thinking so much about this! She just left the freaking door open, that's all. Now go walk in there like a normal person and sign in_.

Forcing her legs to work once more, Anna walked the rest of the distance from where she was standing to the door, and, since it was open, she didn't bother knocking. Instead, she just walked inside, and Elsa didn't even look up from her computer.

This was just too _weird_.

And when she put the pen down from signing her name and headed back to the door to leave, no annoyed, sarcastic, or amused request to shut the door followed, and Anna actually had to _remind_ herself to leave the door open.

It was definitely strange.

But in a way, it was kind of pleasant.

 _I could get used to this,_ Anna thought, smiling as she went to work. Every time she walked in and out of the barn with the horses, she could turn her head towards the office and glance inside. Sometimes all she would be able to see was the top of platinum blonde hair over the computer. Other times, she saw two blue eyes staring back at her, which would make Anna slightly self-conscious—enough to cause her to blush slightly and look away. But not before she could catch the senior's small smile out of the corner of her eye. And it wasn't just a genuine smile—it was the one Elsa had when she was none other than amused at the redhead, which only made Anna's blush deepen.

She was kind of thankful that when she moved on to stall work, she would be all the way down the aisle, which would keep her both out of Elsa's sight, and from having to resist the urge to look at the senior. If she was being honest with herself, she rather enjoyed watching Elsa work as much as she enjoyed working _with_ Elsa. When the senior was focused and in her element, it seemed as though nothing could keep her from completing the task at hand.

 _Except when she catches you looking at her_ , Anna blushed again at the thought.

These feelings of hers…they were really going to get the better of her, weren't they?

Anna sighed, shaking her head, and willing her thoughts to stop flying frantically through her mind. And it worked for a while, as she allowed herself to be distracted by all of the horses and their unique personalities.

Dee was always her favorite. She had taken a clear liking to the mare from te start, and it seemed as though Dee had done the same with Anna. She was the only horse who would not only let Anna come into her stall, but—as this had become one of Anna's bad habits at her old barn—encroach upon her personal space; running her fingers through Dee's copper mane, ducking under Dee's neck if she had to get to something on the other side, throwing her arms around her when she needed a hug.

Dee had really become like a best friend. Anna felt almost as close to this mare as she had felt to Chip, and in a way, it was comforting. While she knew that Chip would always have a special place in her heart, this headstrong yet sweet little mare was a close second, if not vying for first.

Giving Dee one final pat, Anna worked her way down the rest of the stalls.

The only other horse who tolerated Anna's clinginess _almost_ as much as Dee was, surprisingly, Legacy. The fleabitten Arabian mare, while Anna had first expected her to be somewhat unfriendly or even aggressive, seemed to fit none of the 'mare-ish' stereotypes. _With_ the exception of being insanely possessive of her food.

It didn't matter how long Legacy had known Anna; it didn't matter how much Legacy associated Anna with _brining_ the mare her food every Thursday and Sunday; if Anna was physically in the stall with that mare when she was eating, she would be given the honor of receiving a death glare, complete with pinned back ears, and a snapping of teeth that would come within inches of Anna's own personal space.

Whether actually biting her, or just threatening her, was the intention, Anna vowed that she would never find out. So instead of going _into_ the stall to give the Legacy her food, she would stand outside and pour it through the bars of the stall and into the feed bucket.

But she took advantage of the mare's calm demeanor whenever food wasn't present, twisting the mare's the white mane and forelock around her fingers, patting her on the shoulder, or scratching her behind the ears—which was something, Anna had discovered recently, that the mare enjoyed quite a bit. The way Legacy would sigh contently, lowering her head slightly, tail swishing idly, her eyes sometimes closing, never failed to bring a smile to Anna's face. And it made Anna wonder how much quality time Elsa ever spent with her horses.

If Legacy was even hers.

When Anna had leased Chip, she was at the barn every single day, even if it wasn't to ride. She was content hand walking him, grooming him, standing in the stall with him, turning him loose in the arena, taking him on trail rides, watching him graze and play in the field with the other horses…

And Elsa was either in that office, or riding. And she wasn't even riding for fun, either. She was riding to work.

Work. Work. Work.

That was all it ever was.

 _But she already told you that she doesn't enjoy it_ , Anna remembered. _So maybe it's not that she doesn't_ want _to. It's that she can't. She doesn't have the time._

And while Anna felt another pang of sympathy for the senior, she knew that, at the moment, there was nothing that she herself, or even Elsa, could really do about it. Sighing, Anna went to the supply room to grab a broom and finish her work for the night.

But of course, on her way back to return the broom, before she could enter the supply room that was so conveniently located right across from the office, Anna couldn't help but let her attention stray as the senior, who had obviously just finished something that had to have taken her a long time to complete, closed her eyes, leaned back in her chair, and stretched her arms over her head.

And it wasn't even the actual movement that had caught Anna's attention.

It was what that green polo shirt did.

Why had Elsa picked today of all days to leave that shirt untucked?

And Anna's attention was solely on the hem of that shirt, her eyes unblinking as it moved upwards, ever so slightly, revealing the top of that tattoo. But not even the tattoo was her main focus. With a mind of their own, her eyes seem to have an ulterior motive, hijacking what was probably her one and only chance to find out what in the world that tattoo said by _continuing_ to follow the path of that shirt hem until they were focused on the sight of abs the likes of which Anna swore she had never seen in her life.

 _Or just the likes of which you have never been so_ drawn _to in your life_ , Anna thought as her face burned.

And Anna had thought that maybe her brain had processed her awkward gawking reaction in enough time…but oh, if she could have only been so fortunate.

In the time it took for Anna to realize the implications of her behavior, the senior had already opened her eyes, and Anna was once again met with a look that wasn't too far from the one she had been given the last time she had been caught staring.

Quickly, Anna turned and busied herself with putting the broom away, knowing that she couldn't walk herself into the office and sign out until she could keep herself from blushing furiously.

 _Okay, just chill. You can do this. Pretend it never even happened_ , Anna instructed herself.

She walked past the blonde without looking at her, signed out faster than she ever had before, and almost celebrated the fact that Elsa had chosen to ignore her until…

"If I had known it was going to be such a distraction, I would have just told you to close the door."

Okay, well. It was pretty hard to pretend that it had never happened when Elsa insisted on teasing her about it.

Anna turned around, positive she had turned a shade of red that matched her hair, "I…um…about that. Yeah. Sorry. It, uh…it won't happen again."

When she saw the senior smirk, Anna could have face-palmed right then and there. She had just screwed up even more embarrassingly than before—she hadn't denied that 'it' had been a distraction! Of course, Anna would only have been denying it because she didn't necessarily _want_ Elsa to know. But then again, how much more obvious could she be? She had totally messed this up. And Elsa was in no way going to let this one slide.

"So you no longer feel the need to stare as I slave away at the computer. I don't know whether to be relieved or deeply offended."

And although Anna knew the senior was only joking, she felt the need to attempt to explain herself, which, of course, _really_ did her in. Because while her mouth _thought_ it could fix things, it only had this unfailing tendency to make everything worse, "No, it's not that at all! I mean, I won't, if you don't want me to. Because I could. But that'd be weird. Because I'm just insanely awkward…and you're gorgeous. Wait, what!?"

Anna's hand, instead of face-palming, slapped itself over her mouth.

She knew that her mouth had a mind of its own, but _really_? Even she hadn't been expecting to say something _that_ crazy! It wasn't like it wasn't true—God, it was _definitely_ true. But she didn't have to actually _say_ it!

And apparently, she wasn't the only one who was unprepared for such a comment—Elsa herself now looked a little flushed, which was a sight that Anna had never seen before. While she stood there dumbfounded, all she could do was stare back at the senior who had, for once, been effectively rendered speechless. And that was perhaps the scariest realization of all.

Elsa _always_ had a response.

But she didn't have time to think about it further, because a knock from behind her startled both of them. Elsa's eyes snapped from Anna's own to somewhere above Anna's shoulder (by the senior's immediate reaction, Anna had no doubt that Elsa was grateful for the excuse to do so), and Anna turned her head. But dread filled her at the sight of the person who had been standing there for who knew how long as the whole awkward moment had transpired.

"I'm sorry to interrupt this very _enlightening_ moment, but I have paperwork to drop off for the team," Hans' words were said in such a way that Anna couldn't decode the hidden meaning she was _certain_ they held. Because while his words were meant for Elsa, his attention had been directed towards Anna.

She glared at his back as he brushed past her and dropped a folder onto the desk in front of Elsa. He couldn't just come in here and talk to Elsa in such a berating manner—even if he was speaking in Anna's direction.

"You don't have to be so rude about it," Anna said angrily, before Elsa could even speak.

Hans feigned complete innocence, "Like I said. I didn't want to interrupt. And it seems like you two have plenty to discuss, so I'll be on my way."

With that, he gave a small shrug, a horrible smile, and left.

"I hate him," Anna seethed, not really caring whether he had gone far enough to be out of earshot or not.

"I'm not exactly a fan of his, either," Elsa said, speaking for the first time since Hans' arrival (and, quite frankly, the first time since Anna's awkward outburst).

"What'd he do to you?" Anna joked, in an attempt to change the topic and put her previous awkwardness behind them.

Elsa shrugged, "Nothing really. But he doesn't really strike me as someone nice. I mean, half the time he doesn't even treat the horses with any respect. And...he didn't treat you very nicely. My opinion of him kind of went downhill after that."

The senior left it at that, but Anna was slightly shocked. Did it really bother Elsa that much that Hans had been so nasty to her?

"Well in a way it was kind of my fault, for seeing him for something he wasn't," Anna mused aloud, "I didn't listen to Kristoff's warnings. I should have."

"Hey," Elsa said, and the fact that her tone was so serious caught Anna slightly off guard, "You can't blame yourself for anything. He was _wrong_. Wrong to treat you that way. No one deserves that. _You_ didn't deserve that."

Now Anna was even more shocked at Elsa's words. She sounded almost…defensive. And when Elsa herself realized this, she looked down at the desk, obviously somewhat uncomfortable, but said, "It's true, though."

"Thanks," Anna said, and she smiled.

Elsa gave her a somewhat quizzical look, "For what?"

"Sometimes I just need to be reminded, that's all. About what's reality and what's not. I let myself get carried away too much with what I'm thinking. I twist the truth around. Make it something it's not. Because I worry about everything," Anna finished with a shrug.

Elsa was silent for a moment, but then she said, "It's okay to worry. I know it sounds kind of contradictory, but it can be a good thing sometimes. It puts everything into perspective—shows you what's most important to you."

Well, Anna knew that Elsa was certainly book-smart. But she found these words of wisdom to hold far more meaning than anything Elsa had ever said to her before. Maybe it was because the senior had said it so seriously. Maybe it was because it was _Elsa_ , and Elsa just didn't say things like that—to anyone.

Or maybe…it was because it was true.

Because there was one thing that Anna had done an awful lot of worrying over lately.

Elsa.

And Anna was almost entirely positive that she knew what was most important to her.

* * *

 **A/n:** Well, you know you're an avid Elsanna shipper and fanfic writer when you're trying to write the word 'else' in your final paper for class and end up typing 'Elsa' (with the capital and all) about five times before noticing that something's not quite right…Finals were just a _wonderful_ experience this semester.

But they're over now, which means that you all finally have chapter 11!

I hope you all liked it, because there's not much else that I have to say about it (which could definitely be due to the fact that my brain has absorbed so much chemistry that it has left room for nothing else).

If I missed any horse terms that you want me to explain, feel free to let me know, but I don't think I saw any that were in dire need of extra explanations.

And thanks for reading!


	12. Chapter 12

"So my midterm grade was actually decent. But it went downhill from there. And now I only have, like, four weeks to get it back up."

The comment from Anna's roommate—who was currently flopped across her bed with her legs propped up against the wall and her long hair spilling off onto the floor—was punctuated with a melodramatic sigh.

"Hey, no one said pre-calc was easy," Anna answered, rolling her eyes, "My midterm grade wasn't that great. And it _still_ managed to go downhill."

"Maybe we should check out tutoring," Rapunzel sighed again, "Although I'd really hate to give up even more of my free time. But the final will be right around the corner before we know it. And our last exam, too."

Anna gave a small shrug, "I barely have time for everything as it is."

"Yeah, well, you're at the barn all the time. It's too bad horses can't teach math," Rapunzel laughed.

"No. But I bet Elsa could," Anna hadn't even thought before the sentence popped out of her mouth.

She had been avoiding bringing up the topic of the senior with her friends as of late, and now she grimaced for letting it slip. She didn't want anything _else_ to slip as well, considering she had only just recently been able to come to terms with her…how had she put it before?

Oh, right.

 _Feelings_.

Certainly not crazy possessing thoughts that made her stare like an insane person and say things that only made her sound like more of an idiot than she already felt.

"That's true. She's a senior. She had to have taken the course already. Plus she's like, _really_ smart," Rapunzel agreed, "You should ask her to tutor you."

"What?" Anna exclaimed, "No way!"

Elsa had _way_ too much to do as it was. Or really, it was more like Elsa had way too much to think about. The last thing the senior needed was Anna coming to her with her problems. Not that she could share all of that with her roommate. That was information that Elsa clearly didn't want the entire school knowing.

"Hey, you mentioned it," Rapunzel said, "Why the sudden defense?"

"No reason," Anna shrugged, trying trying to brush it off. But inevitably, as always, she just made the situation worse, "I mean, no. You're right. She is really smart. Like, genius smart. And talented. And she knows just about everything there is to know about chemistry. Which means she's probably good at calculus, too. Plus she knows everything about horses. And she's strong…" Anna's eyes widened when she realized she had said the last sentence aloud, courtesy of the fact that her mind had so spontaneously selected this _very_ moment to replay the image of the senior lifting those hay bales. Quickly shoving the memory aside, Anna added, "With numbers. I'm sure she's strong in any subject that requires…calculations."

Even in her roommate's upside-down position, Anna could see a smile spread across Rapunzel's face, "Anything _else_ you'd like to add?"

Although Rapunzel was only joking, Anna felt the blush that was now present on her face, "I don't think so," Anna said, in her most nonchalant voice ever.

Rapunzel only laughed, "Okay. Well, the way you were headed there I wouldn't have been surprised if you'd ended with 'gorgeous'."

Anna's face reddened even more. There was no way that Rapunzel had heard about that…was there?

"I…no. I wouldn't. Why would you think—"

Anna stopped mid-sentence when she realized Rapunzel was now laughing harder, " _God_ , Anna I was joking. But by the way you're reacting, you'd never know."

Anna narrowed her eyes at her roommate, concluding that Rapunzel's teasing was only genuine. But that still didn't change the fact that Anna was insanely embarrassed and had no feasible way of getting herself out of this mess. She glanced down at her phone and almost sighed with relief when she saw what time it was, and, in a voice that was a _little_ too cheerful, she exclaimed, "Oh, look! Gotta run, or I'll be late for work!"

Quickly, she grabbed her jacket, and headed out the door. But before she could close it, she heard, "Yeah. Wouldn't want to be late to see Elsa, huh?"

"Is it _really_ that obvious?" Anna grumbled as she walked down two flights of stairs before heading out the door.

But it didn't matter, really.

Her friends were bound to find out eventually, weren't they?

 _Stop worrying about it_ , Anna reminded herself, as she took off for the barn. _There's only one thing that you're allowed to worry about. One thing worth worrying about. And it doesn't involve being concerned with who else might know._

Anna found herself wondering whether the office door would be open again before she even got to the barn. All throughout the week, when she had been at the barn for her lessons, she noticed that they door had definitely been closed. As it always had been before. Meaning that it had only been open when…Anna had come for her shift. And to Anna's surprise, the door was once again open, and she couldn't help but smile at the sight.

 _Guess she doesn't think it's too much of a distraction, then_ , Anna thought as she walked towards the office.

Although she was sure that Elsa had seen her, the blonde didn't acknowledge Anna until she had walked through the door, but Anna didn't mind at all.

"Hey," Anna said when she passed the desk.

It was the first time she had actually greeted Elsa without waiting for the senior to speak to her, but hey, there was a first time for everything, wasn't there?

"Hi," Elsa looked up from her computer. If she was surprised that Anna had spoken first, she didn't show it, "You're early today."

 _Yeah, well. That's what happens when you have to bail yourself out of awkward situations_ , Anna thought. But all she said was, "Guess it took less time to get over here today," before heading back towards the door.

And while Elsa didn't answer her—not that Anna's comment had really warranted an answer—the senior surprised her by not only getting up from her desk, but following Anna out of the office. And of course, Anna's curiosity got the better of her, as it always did, "Don't you have all that paperwork to do?"

"I finished most of it," Elsa said, continuing to walk as she spoke, which meant that Anna had to follow in order to listen to the rest of what the senior was saying, "But I need to get Legacy ready for a show this Friday, so that's kind of a top priority on my to-do list right now."

"Oh," Anna said, walking with the senior all the way to Legacy's stall. It was a Sunday, which meant that there really wasn't much time until said show would be happening, "I assume it's a dressage show?"

"Yeah. It's in the morning too, which means I have to miss class, but it is what it is," Elsa answered, reaching over Anna's shoulder to grab Legacy's halter off the door before leading the mare onto the crossties, "It's her first rated show. I've got high hopes for her. But we'll see," Elsa shrugged, "She doesn't like to listen at the canter."

Anna knew this all too well. After all, it had been Anna herself who had very bluntly told Elsa that she was going about it all wrong. She wondered if the senior had recalled that little episode when she'd added that last comment about Legacy's behavior. Actually, Anna wondered if Elsa had only mentioned it so that _Anna_ wouldn't bring it up. It was a touchy subject for both of them, solely because they had clashing opinions. So instead of staying on the topic, Anna asked a question that she'd had for a while now, "So is Legacy your horse?"

By this point, Elsa was already taking the royal blue blanket off of the Arabian mare, but, unlike Anna, the senior had the ability to talk as she worked without breaking her concentration, "I wouldn't necessarily call her mine. She's mine as far as training purposes. And so is Lance. But none of the horses here are actually… _mine_."

Anna gave Elsa the most confused look in the world, and seeing the redhead's expression, Elsa sighed, but continued on with an explanation—most likely because she knew she would be interrogated further if she didn't elaborate, "I already told you that my parents see this as a profitable business. And so…that's exactly what it is. A business. They don't see horses as pets. Or friends. Or whatever you'd like to call them. My parents see them as monetary objects. They think that getting attached to a particular horse is a frivolous waste of time and money. So every horse that I have ever seen or worked with has eventually been leased. Or sold."

The senior kept her eyes away from Anna's ever softening gaze, preferring to focus her attention on brushing Legacy's coat extra thoroughly as a means of distraction.

"I didn't realize," Anna said after a moment.

"How could you have?" Elsa said, finally turning towards Anna with blue eyes that were somewhat hard, "Besides, it doesn't matter."

 _It does matter!_ Anna wanted to say.

Clearly it did, because the situation seemed to affect Elsa more than she was letting on—which was how it always was. But Anna didn't quite know how to say that to Elsa without the senior getting defensive. So instead Anna gave a small shrug, and voiced the phrase that she was surprised Elsa hadn't already, "Hey, it's life, right?"

Elsa gave a small nod of agreement, and nothing more. And Anna knew that she should probably have taken it as her cue to leave, but she also knew that she wanted to ask one more question that would hopefully distract Elsa from the sudden downhill trail their conversation had taken, "So what's her show name?"

Anna's only major showing experience had been with the team, but even before that she'd known that all show horses were given 'show names' to be registered with, and then 'barn names' to be called by on a daily basis.

"What, Legacy's?" Elsa asked.

"Yeah."

"It's a long one," Elsa said, "She's registered as 'Queen of the North Mountain'."

Anna mulled the name over in her mind before concluding, "It suits her. She seems kind of regal to me."

"Hence why I've taken to calling her Legacy."

Anna smiled, "Royalty to be remembered for generations."

Elsa rolled her eyes, "Let's hope."

"She's definitely got potential. Because her extended trot—now _that_ is something," Anna said in all seriousness, remembering the fluid movements of the Arabian mare.

"The goal is to eventually work with her on more advanced movements. A lot of the training horses I've worked with in the past have actually sold before I could work with them on a higher level. I think it would be fun to teach her the pirouette or passage or piaffe. Something tells me she'll have no problem with the counter canter, but flying lead changes are going to be a nightmare."

Anna found that she loved when Elsa talked about all of the technical terms of dressage, even though she had only heard of two—the counter canter and the flying lead change, to be precise. The other three that Anna couldn't even pronounce…well, she wouldn't be able to recognize them if she _heard_ them again, let alone saw them in motion.

But that was beside the point, because Legacy was still fairly green, and still needed foundational work. So that much Anna understood. But the rest of it went right over her head, and so she only nodded in agreement, savoring the sound of the French terms that rolled so easily off the blonde's tongue.

"Do you even have any idea what I'm talking about?" Elsa asked with a laugh, taking in the redhead's blank expression, although Anna was trying really hard to make it look like she had understood.

"Nope," Anna grinned widely, "But it sounds complicated."

"Complicated to speak, teach, and perform, but making it all look effortless…that's the world of dressage for you," Elsa said.

"Dressage kind of suits her, then, if you think about it," Anna said, "Being a queen and regal, she moves with poise and grace."

"Whatever you say," Elsa's comment held a hint of a laugh.

"It definitely doesn't seem like something I'd be particularly good at. Jumping takes balance, but I'm better at throwing myself over a hurdle than I am at making the bounciest trot in the world look like floating."

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

"Maybe."

"Legacy's got a rather smooth trot."

"It doesn't make you look any less graceful," Anna said, but when the words were out, Anna panicked slightly. Why in the world did her mouth never know when to stop? Would Elsa take the more straightforward compliment as it was, or think that Anna was making light of the crazy canter situation that Elsa had been struggling with?

"It's Legacy who does all the work," Elsa mumbled, but both of them knew that this was far from true. No matter what the discipline, while the horse had to do a lot of work, the rider had to work equally as hard to direct, guide, and balance a thousand pound (and sometimes even larger) animal. And the rider's work was twice as hard with an untrained horse.

"Whatever you say," Anna teased, using the senior's words from before.

"Shouldn't you be getting to work, anyway?" Elsa asked.

"I got here early, so it's all good," Anna paused to check her phone, and she turned the screen so that Elsa could see it, "Technically my shift is starting now. So I'm right on time."

But before Anna could put her phone away, she was slightly confused when Elsa's fingers suddenly wrapped around the screen for a brief second, as if to reposition the phone so she could see it better. And when she let go, she asked, "Is that your horse?"

Anna turned the phone back around, taking in one of her very favorite pictures of Chip; his little dun head peering out from his stall, tiny ears alert, and his signature Fjord mane curved with his neck in the direction of the phone. And even though she saw him every time she looked at her phone, looking at the picture never failed to make her smile.

"I leased him until he retired," Anna explained, "He taught me just about everything I know. I got to jumping small crossrails with him the year before he retired. His name is Chip. But…I like to call him Chocolate Chip," Anna added sheepishly, "Chocolate and horses…life doesn't get much better than that."

To Anna's surprise, Elsa smiled, "Chocolate, huh?"

"Literally my two addictions," Anna said, "Although one of them is _significantly_ more expensive than the other."

"Which is the reason you're supposed to be working," Elsa joked, turning the phone back around so that she could see it, "And now you've gone from on time to three minutes late."

"I'm going, I'm going. Sheesh," Anna rolled her eyes, pocketed her phone, and headed back down the aisle to bring the horses in from turnout.

But as she did so, she couldn't help but wonder if Elsa's interest in Chip had had anything to do with the picture of the snow-white Fjord horse that sat on the bookcase in Elsa's office.

* * *

It was getting late, and Anna had actually finished early, despite starting three minutes late.

And when she walked upstairs to sweep, she wasn't surprised to find that Elsa was still working Legacy in the arena.

 _Okay, so maybe I'll watch for a bit_ , Anna thought.

And even though watching had only gotten her into trouble time and time again, she couldn't help but let her eyes stray to the pair in the arena. There was no doubt that they worked well together when Legacy wasn't fighting. The mare would still lengthen the trot when asked—a sight that never failed to amaze Anna. And Legacy's circles were nothing short of impeccable.

But the real test was the canter, and Anna was completely awe-struck when Legacy not only _listened_ to Elsa's cues, but _continued_ to listen all throughout the transition.

Legacy wasn't pulling back, and her head was down. And Elsa…was barely putting pressure on the reins at all.

Because…

No, it couldn't be.

But…

 _Oh my God, it is. It's a freaking Pelham bit._

Anna's eyes narrowed in on the white horse's muzzle, noticing for the first time that the metal contraption in the horse's mouth wasn't just a simple snaffle bit.

No.

It was _definitely_ a Pelham bit, and Anna didn't know how she hadn't realized it sooner. Everything she saw was characteristic of the Pelham bit—from the bulkier appearance, to the curb chain that ran under Legacy's chin, to the double set of reins that ran from the bit to Elsa's gloved hands. And those hands certainly didn't need to pull as hard because _much_ more pressure was being exerted on the horse's mouth, and also the top of the horse's head, which would explain why Legacy wasn't fighting, and why Legacy was more inclined to keep her head down.

And while Anna knew that the bit could only inflict pain if used incorrectly (Elsa was _not_ using it incorrectly), she still hated to see _any_ horse be put into a "correction" bit, even if it was for a training aid.

"Elsa, _why_?" Anna found herself saying, before she knew what was even coming out of her mouth, "She doesn't deserve that."

The entire barn was so quiet that she could have heard a pin drop. And because of this, even though Anna had barely raised her voice, she had said it loud enough for Elsa to hear. And when the blonde looked up at her with slightly narrowing eyes, Anna couldn't help but think _, Oh, crap. Here we go again_.

"What?"

"I said…" Anna's heart was pounding. Was it worth it? It wasn't like Elsa was abusing the horse, for God's sake. It was perfectly humane. But…"I said, she doesn't deserve that. The bit. The Pelham."

Elsa's eyes narrowed further.

 _Stupid mouth_.

"It's a training aid, Anna. It's legal. And I know how to use it."

 _Don't say it. Don't say it. Don't—_

"You barely even gave her a chance with the snaffle."

"And _you_ don't know how long I've even been working with her to even make that decision."

"But it's not _right_."

"It's only wrong if it's _used_ wrong. And I'm not using it wrong. So that makes it right."

"No, it doesn't."

"The horse is not in pain, Anna."

"I know that, but it doesn't mean it's not uncomfortable."

"Once she learns to carry her head the right way, then it won't be needed."

"She can learn another way," Anna argued.

"How, by letting her run in circles without showing her that she can't be the one in control? No!"

"But how long do you think you're going to need it for? And then you'll go back to the snaffle and she'll do the same thing! And you have the show coming up…" realization hit Anna square in the face when she said those words, "Oh my God."

"Anna—"

"You're going to use that on her at the show, aren't you?"

" _Anna_ —"

Anna cut the senior off again, "Okay, you know what?"

But those slightly threat-tinged words were where Anna stopped abruptly. Because at this point, she didn't know what else to say, even though she had so many mixed emotions going through her head. And Elsa was waiting, having been spoken over twice already, with one hand her hip, and her mouth pressed into a thin line.

And as Anna stared back, she realized that she couldn't continue this.

Not if she wanted to have to start all over with Elsa _again_. And this bit…it _wasn't_ cruel. It was just Anna's perception. She had grown up with these opinions because of those who had taught her—people who wouldn't resort to these types of training aids until every other option had been exhausted. And Elsa was right, how did Anna know that every other option hadn't already been explored. How did Anna know how long Elsa had been working with Legacy? Maybe Elsa had been working with the mare for months? Or a year?

And while the bit may be uncomfortable, it wasn't inhumane.

Elsa was experienced—certainly more experienced than Anna. And Legacy, just as Elsa had said, wasn't in pain.

And so Anna bit her bottom lip, swallowed her pride, opened her mouth, and said, "You're right. She's your training project. You have to handle her however you feel is necessary. You're much more experienced than I am, and I don't have the authority to make those kinds of decisions. So, whatever. Use the bit. Take her to the show with it. It's your call, not mine."

Elsa looked a little surprised, but all she said was, "Well, I appreciate you finally realizing this, but I still don't think you completely understand."

If the senior was going to say more, Anna didn't really want to hear it. She was already annoyed beyond belief that she was practically apologizing for something that she fully believed in, and she'd certainly done plenty of interrupting earlier in their conversation (if she could even label it as such), so it definitely wasn't a problem for her to interrupt again, "I'm pretty sure I understand. Okay? And it doesn't matter. It's not my concern. I shouldn't have gotten involved."

And with that, Anna left before Elsa could say anything else.

She didn't know if what she had done was right. But she knew that the last thing she wanted was for Elsa to be upset with her.

And if that meant letting her use Pelham on Legacy…

 _Then let her use the dumb bit._

* * *

The door was still open on Thursday when Anna showed up for work, so she took that as a good sign.

"Hey," Anna said when she walked into the office, hoping not to discuss anything about their dispute on Sunday, or the show.

They hadn't spoken about it during chem lab on Wednesday, but then again, they had had something else to keep them preoccupied. And now…not so much.

And Anna couldn't have even said that she was surprised when the first thing out of Elsa's mouth was, "Look, I never fully got a chance to explain myself on Sunday," without even acknowledging Anna's greeting.

"Elsa, it's fine," Anna said, "You don't need to explain yourself."

And she didn't know what else she could or couldn't keep herself from saying, so she walked out of the office without saying anything else, and without waiting for Elsa's response.

And she tried to forget about it while she worked—tried to forget about it when she cleaned the stalls.

But when she walked into Legacy's stall and saw that the mare hadn't touched her hay from earlier in the day, she instantly grew concerned for the amount of pressure Legacy had been put through. If that bit was hurting Legacy enough not to eat…

 _She's going to be fine. She's not your horse. Get over it._

Before she left the stall, she gave Legacy a pat on the shoulder, and told the mare that it was all going to be okay.

 _I hope_.

Anna didn't know what to think anymore.

This didn't change _anything_ that she felt towards Elsa...in _that_ regard, anyway...but it certainly frustrated her that because she wanted to salvage what she had with the senior, she was being forced to put her beliefs aside.

 _But maybe that's just it. The closer you can get to her, the more you can help her understand._

Anna wanted nothing more than to show Elsa that there were other ways to get a horse to listen instead of force and control. Sure, the senior probably knew this already. But it was all too easy to fully understand something, yet doubt its practicality, and Anna was almost completely positive that that was what had compelled the senior to jump to such an extreme method of training. Morality was one thing, but Anna knew firsthand that it could take a back seat when faced with frustration—especially now, since she'd thrown her arguments for Legacy's sake out the window in order to preserve her friendship with the senior.

And while she could have worried about the entire time she spent feeding the horses, Anna ended up running into someone who not only let her forget, but gave her something else to focus on altogether…

"What are _you_ doing here again!?" Anna exclaimed, noticing those obnoxious sideburns from yards away.

"Oh, I thought I'd drop by," Hans gave Anna a smile that disgusted her.

"And why would you do that? During my shift, yet?"

"Why not? I can't spend quality time with the horses?"

Anna couldn't handle it.

She just couldn't handle it at this point.

First the whole thing with Elsa and now…now _Hans_?

Life absolutely hated her.

But she couldn't let Hans know that he was bothering her. That would give him way too much satisfaction—and she was certain that was his main intention.

"Then go ahead. Spend _quality time_ with the horses," Anna said, brushing past him.

She had Legacy's dinner ration in her hands, and was about to pour the grain it into the feed bucket when Hans said, "I can do it."

" _What_?"

She didn't even understand what was happening. Was Hans doing this to be nice? To spite her?

Hans gave Anna another smile.

Oh, it was definitely to spite her.

And she would _not_ give him the satisfaction of screaming at him.

"Okay," she said, in her most nonchalant voice possible, "Go ahead."

 _And when Legacy rips your face off for being in there with her when she eats, it'll be_ karma _._

Anna handed over the container to a very confused looking Hans (no doubt because Anna hadn't even put up a fight), and she smirked when her back was to him.

 _And you know what, I don't think I want to be around to witness the blood_.

By the time she had gone back into the feed room and come out with the next horse's grain rations, Hans was once again standing outside of Legacy's stall.

 _And unharmed, too,_ Anna thought, slightly disappointed.

"So Legacy's going to be taken to a show tomorrow?" Hans said, and it was more of a statement than a question.

Anna's back was to him once more as she entered the stall opposite of Legacy's, and through gritted teeth she answered, "Yes," when all she really wanted to do was slap him.

"It's too bad she doesn't stand a chance," Hans taunted, and when Anna turned around he had a wicked grin on his face.

"Well, what's that supposed to mean!" Anna exclaimed, completely forgetting about her plans to stay calm and jumping right to Legacy's—and Elsa's—defense, "Have you even _seen_ that horse move!? She's a natural. And Elsa's got plenty of experience—more experience than you _ever_ will!"

"Defensive, defensive, aren't we?" Hans mocked.

"Does it _matter_?" Anna shot back hotly.

"Some things matter a lot more than others," Hans gave another wicked smile and tossed an object that was thin and green upwards from his hand, but he caught it before Anna was able to see exactly what it was. And with that, he walked off, leaving Anna slightly confused, but mostly disgusted.

"What the _hell_ was all of that about?"

* * *

On Sunday, Anna knew that the first thing she wanted to ask Elsa was how the show had gone. Because on Friday night, when Anna had shown up for her lesson, she couldn't find the senior anywhere, and had chalked it up to the fact that Elsa had most likely been tired and had headed to the house instead of staying at the barn.

And so Anna was all set to head to the office and ask, when she noticed something.

The door was closed.

 _Okay_ , Anna thought.

Open for a few days…and then shut again.

Odd, but that didn't mean it meant anything.

Maybe Elsa was on the phone?

 _Yeah, that has to be it. She's on the phone_.

But as much as Anna wanted to believe those words, something told her that wasn't the case.

Hesitantly, she brought one hand up to the door, and knocked.

"Come in."

Why did the words seem so… _cold_?

Anna turned the handle, opened the door, and stepped inside.

"Hey," she said. But when she didn't get much of a response she asked tentatively, "How…was the show?"

Elsa didn't even look at Anna when she answered, "I guess you could say…it didn't exactly go as planned."

"What?" Anna was confused, "I don't understand."

"Really?"

"Uh, I'm sorry. But no, I don't."

"Well, let me explain what happened then," Elsa said, and Anna didn't know quite what to make of the blonde's tone, "In the morning, Legacy was acting rather…how should we put it…out of sorts? Somewhat lethargic? I had asked Kai to come help me trailer her to the show, and he thought that maybe something was wrong, but she wasn't really exhibiting any signs of sickness, so we trailered her to the show anyway. Only because it was twenty minutes away. If it had been a longer trip, we wouldn't have chanced it. But because it was so close, we did. When we got there, she was acting _slightly_ more normal. But when I put her through her warm-up, something felt off. And apparently, other people noticed it, too. Now, you understand that this was a rated show, yes?"

Elsa waited deliberately for Anna's response and Anna, still confused, confirmed, "Yes."

"At rated shows, the rules are much more strict. And therefore _enforcing_ the rules becomes something that is much more often encountered as far as drug testing goes. And when I was approached saying that they had chosen to test the horses for this particular show, it wasn't like I could tell them that they _couldn't_. I was slightly concerned, because we couldn't particularly pinpoint _why_ Legacy was behaving in the way she was, but then again, we had _nothing_ to hide. So we waited for the blood samples to be drawn, and by the time we had gotten back into the arena, Legacy was acting more like herself. Kai and I decided that it was just the unusual surroundings that had caused her to act abnormally, and that the change of environment during the drug test had actually helped to calm her before we got back into the arena. She was listening better, and she was much more alert.

"And so, as you can imagine, once we were certain that she was fine, we were confident in the fact that she would be able to handle showing in her division. And when the time came for our class, she put forth one of her best efforts yet. Sure, she still tossed her head slightly, but she wasn't fighting me nearly as much as she had before. And we placed sixth, out of fifteen."

"Did it _occur_ to you that she wasn't fighting because of the _bit_?" Anna asked.

"Did it ever _occur_ to you that when I had wanted to _explain_ myself to you that there may have very well been a good reason for it? I was trying to tell you, Pelham bits are illegal to use in dressage competitions. I could only compete with her in the snaffle."

Anna's mouth slowly formed an 'o' shape before she said, "Oh," feeling like the biggest idiot on the planet. But…Elsa wasn't smiling. And in fact, she still looked downright _mad_. And Anna was confused, because hadn't Elsa said that they'd placed sixth?

"But once again, you didn't let me finish," Elsa continued, "That night I got a call from the coordinators of the show, telling me that we had been disqualified."

"What!?" Anna exclaimed.

"You heard me," Elsa said, tone once again icy, "We had been disqualified. Because somehow, Legacy's drug test came back as _positive_ for a _tranquilizer_."

" _What_?" Anna repeated, narrowing her eyes, "That couldn't be possible. You and Kai were the last ones to be around her. And the only one who was near her before that was…"

Anna stopped mid-sentence, realization hitting her like a punch in the stomach.

 _Oh, God, she wouldn't really think that—_

" _You_ were the last one near her. _You_ were the only one left in the barn on Thursday night," Elsa's words were abrupt, cold as ice.

"You have _no_ right to think that I did that!" Anna exclaimed defensively.

"Well, it seems fairly obvious to me—how you were so adamant about me not using that bit! If she'd been any more out of sorts, we wouldn't have taken her to the show and there, problem solved. Simple as that."

"Elsa, I would _never_ endanger a horse like that! Whoever did that must have given her one hell of a dose, because for it to only be _wearing off_ that late in the morning…You should just be lucky she's okay!" Anna was fuming, and she could barely finish one sentence before she began another, "I would never purposely _drug_ a horse. And especially not over something as trivial as a _bit_. Okay? Yes, I was annoyed that you were using it, but would it drive me to such extremes? _No_!"

"And what proof do you have?" Elsa asked—clearly in no mood to see anyone else's perspective on the matter.

"What proof do _you_ have!?" Anna shot back.

"Much more than you, at the moment," Elsa said levelly.

At this point, Anna was highly aggravated, her mind barely able to wrap itself around just exactly _what_ was happening. But through her anger, she fought to remain calm, knowing that it was the only way she was going to be able to handle this. She took a breath and said, "Look, Elsa. I _know_ you're angry right now. And I _know_ that, unfortunately, every sign at the moment points to me. But you're wrong. You're wrong, and somewhere, somehow, I _know_ that you know it. You don't want to believe me because you need someone to blame. But I care about these horses just as much as you do, and I know how much Legacy means to you, even if you don't want to show it. And I want you to understand that I would never do something like that. You _know_ that I would never do something like that. Hell, I was the one who didn't want you to use the bit that I thought was _uncomfortable_ , and you're telling me that I was the one who _drugged_ the horse? There's something a little backwards about that, don't you think? Just… _please_ , Elsa. Please, _please_ trust me."

"I really don't know who I can trust anymore," Elsa said coldly.

 _Forget calm_.

Anna glared, "You know what? I try to be reasonable with you! I try to be calm about it! I…I can't _do_ this! I can't just _stand_ here and _take_ this when I know I haven't done anything!"

"Then _leave_."

Anna's glare narrowed, but she wasn't so sure now if it was for show, or if it was to hold back the tears that she suddenly felt.

This could _not_ be happening.

After everything she had done—every single precaution she had taken to make sure that this friendship that they had stayed intact…

 _It was all for nothing_.

She was so incredibly mad at Elsa for not believing her.

How in the world could Elsa accuse her of an act that could possibly harm a horse?

Anna _knew_ that Elsa knew that she would never do such a thing.

 _You know what, I'll show her how much these horses mean to me. I'm not going to leave. I'm going to stay here and take care of them, because they deserve it even if she doesn't deserve my help_.

And Anna's only consolation was Dee. She spent nearly half an hour in Dee's stall, trying to calm herself down with her arms wrapped tightly around the mare's sturdy neck. Dee would occasionally twist her head around, positioning it just so that it was next to Anna's own and leaving it there for a few seconds. The mare's soft breaths were actually quite comforting against Anna's tear-stained face.

 _'_ _It's okay'_ Dee seemed to be saying _'It's all going to be okay.'_

But if Anna was certain of one thing, it was that everything was most certainly _not_ okay…

She didn't sweep the barn that night.

And she never went to sign out; Elsa would know that she had stayed once she saw that everything had been taken care of.

 _And then you'll see. You'll see how much I really do care. You'll see that I'm right_.

When she stepped outside, she found that it had started snowing.

And Elsa, most certainly, did not offer her a ride back to campus.

* * *

"Anna, please stop crying."

It was all Anna could do to calm down enough to tell Kristoff what had happened on Sunday.

She had kept it to herself for an entire day, but by the time Tuesday night had come around, and Anna realized that she would have to see Elsa in chem lab on Wednesday, Anna knew that she needed to tell someone. She had two of the most conflicting emotions regarding the situation, and she knew that if she didn't talk it out, it might just drive her past the point of insanity.

"I'm _trying_ ," Anna said. She was sitting cross-legged at the foot of the bed in her friend's room, not even able to look at him when she talked, "It's just…I'm so incredibly _mad_ at her for ever thinking that I'd do something like that. But at the same time, it…it _hurts_ me more than it makes me mad because…" Anna trailed off, not knowing whether to admit it or not. But this was Kristoff. Her best friend, "Because…I _care_ about what we had and—"

"Well, that was fairly obvious."

"What?" Anna was so startled by Kristoff's response that she momentarily forgot what she had been going to say.

Kristoff sighed, "I'm certain that if it were any other one of your friends accusing you of this you'd probably be more inclined to yell at them than cry over it."

 _Friends._

Anna almost laughed at how casually he said the word. But she put it behind her (along with her almost-confession), and took a moment to contemplate Kristoff's blatant reasoning, "I definitely yelled at her."

Kristoff gave her a _look_.

"Okay," Anna sighed, "Okay, fine. I know. You're right. I just can't stand the fact that she pushed me away for so long, and then she opened up, and now…now it's right back to where we started, but _worse_. It's like…she was _looking_ for a reason to push me away again."

"I don't think I'd go that far with it. But you need to see it from her perspective, too," Kristoff said, "You really _were_ the last one in the barn that night."

Anna narrowed her eyes, "I _know_ that."

Kristoff held up his hands, "Hey, I'm not blaming you for anything. I'm just saying, she has a point. I know you'd never do that."

"No, what I mean is I _know_ that. I stood there and _told_ her that I can see it the way she sees it. That I _was_ the last person in the barn that night… _wait_ ," Anna narrowed her eyes even further, thinking back to the vague memories she had of that Thursday, "Kristoff, just because I was the _last_ person in the barn that night doesn't mean that I was the _only_ person in the barn that night!"

"What?" Kristoff asked, sounding slightly confused.

How had Anna not seen it before? It was so glaringly obvious—she had just been too blinded by what she had been feeling to really take into account what _had_ happened that Thursday night!

"I _wasn't_ the only person there on Thursday night," Anna said slowly as the reality of the situation hit her.

" _Hans_ was there."

* * *

 **A/n:** Just saying, prepare for a long one…

Firstly, I want to say (or rather—feel the need to say) that this is the _last_ major, life-shattering, relationship-hindering conflict. Of course, that's not to say that there won't be any more angst, but I think you all know what I mean. So the moral of the story is: please don't chase after me with sticks and pointy objects. Pretty please. And I should have the next chapter out soon to make up for it as well.

But moving on, I apologize for the drastic length of the chapter (in comparison to the previous 11…). I initially was going to leave it before we found out that it was Hans but I thought that would be too mean, even though it was kind of obvious so you're welcome. Hopefully that makes it all somewhat more bearable?

I don't really know all the statistics on tranquilizers and how long they really last, but hey, it's fiction. And going back to the topic of real life, there's nothing wrong with using a Pelham bit unless, of course, it's blatantly being used the wrong way. I hold nothing against anyone who does use them. It's a common misconception that Pelham bits are 'cruel' and that they force the horse to hold its head in a way that isn't natural, etc. That might be Anna's opinion in this story, but the point here is that everyone has different opinions on this, and I personally am not trying to say that one method of training is better than another. So I just wanted to clear that up. It's often a sore spot in the horse word as far as arguments…

And if you want the difference between a snaffle bit and a Pelham bit, in order to avoid getting into technical terms, a snaffle bit is simpler than a Pelham, and a snaffle bit puts less restriction on the horse than the Pelham. Some people consider it a "correction" training aid (like Anna), and technically it is because it's meant to correct the horse's problems.

And lastly, in regards to the actual story, you really do have to give Elsa a bit of a break. Because honestly if someone drugged my horse without permission, I'd be furious. Anyone near me or who had been near the horse the night before would be getting an earful.

So, yeah. Sorry this was so long, and thanks for reading!


	13. Chapter 13

-Note: This is a direct continuation from the last chapter-

* * *

" _What_?" Kristoff asked, concern written all over his face.

"Hans was there the night that Legacy was drugged," Anna repeated, though she was fairly certain that Kristoff's question had functioned more as an outlet of surprise rather than as a request for clarification.

"He showed up during my shift," Anna continued, remembering everything that she'd been too blind to see before, "He showed up right when I had to start feeding the horses. Right when I was about to feed _Legacy_. I thought he was there to annoy me, because he had shown up so conveniently to drop off papers for the team during my shift only a few days before…and he said that he'd give Legacy her food. And I didn't want to say no to him, because I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of _arguing_ with him…and that _must_ have been it. Because for the tranquilizer to have shown on the drug test, and then to have been mostly wearing off by the time they arrived at the show…it only makes sense that she had to be drugged the night before the show. And he said…what was it now? _Dammit_ why can't I remember? He said…it was something about…about Legacy being taken to the show, and how she wasn't going to stand a chance, and that green thing—he had that green thing in his hand! Why didn't I realize all of this sooner! God, I'm an idiot. It makes me want to just march right up to him and—"

"Whoa, whoa, okay," Kristoff said, and Anna could tell that he was trying very hard to keep up with her rushed talking—which was evidently an effort of little success as far as actually understanding Anna's words, "Slow down, and tell me again exactly what happened."

Anna took a breath, attempted to calm herself, and started over, "Okay. So Hans showed up at the barn _right_ when I was about to feed Legacy. And he said he'd go in and give the horse her dinner. And _I_ just figured he'd come to spite me; that he was looking for an argument. And I didn't want to give him the satisfaction, so I told him he could. I went back into the feed room after that because I _know_ how Legacy gets if you're in there when she has her food, and I was fairly certain that things were about to go downhill. But when I walked out of the feed room, Hans was standing outside of Legacy's stall, and everything was fine.

"But then he _stayed_ there, said that thing about Legacy 'not having a chance' at the show, and he had this little green thing in his hand. And I was so unbearably mad at him for saying that about Legacy that I couldn't even tell what it was, but it _must_ have been the cap to the syringe he used. I _know_ he was the one who did it. There was no one else there!"

Kristoff looked thoughtful for a moment, and then he said, "Okay. I believe you. I did before, and now you have the evidence. But…why would he do that? He's certainly not the nicest person in the world, but what would make him want to drug a horse? What does he have against Legacy? Against Elsa?"

Anna contemplated Kristoff's questions.

What _did_ Hans have against Legacy and Elsa?

It wasn't like he was competing in the show. And Elsa wasn't on the team, so he wasn't competing with Elsa for _anything_.

Unless…

"Oh my _God_. He did not!" Anna exclaimed, eyes widening in shock.

"What am I missing now?" Kristoff asked, his tone light, but by the way his eyes narrowed slightly, Anna knew that her friend was mainly concerned.

Hans hadn't been competing with Elsa for anything except…

 _Anna_.

He knew.

He'd known from the very beginning how much Elsa meant to Anna.

From the moment he'd said that Anna had had 'someone else', to the moment he'd walked in on Anna's awkward confession the night he had dropped of the paperwork…

Hans hadn't done this to get to Elsa.

He'd done it to get back at _Anna_.

Because he knew—he _knew_ that Elsa would jump to conclusions. He _knew_ that Elsa would blame her because she was 'the only one around'. And he _knew_ how much it would hurt Anna.

He knew, before _Anna_ had even know.

How twisted and disgusting he was, planning this whole thing out, wrecking Elsa's chances at the competition, and _endangering_ a horse! And in a way, maybe it _was_ Anna's fault. Because this entire situation had happened over _Anna_.

"Anna?" Kristoff prompted, "What is it?"

"He _knew_ , Kristoff," Anna whispered, but she could say no more.

Kristoff waited, but when Anna still refused to speak, he asked, "What does Hans know?"

"He…he knows how much Elsa means to me," Anna's voice was barely audible, and she closed her eyes as she spoke, "He knew Elsa would blame me. He set me up. Because he knew it would break me."

Kristoff opened his mouth to say something, but then clamped it shut again, realization passing through his eyes, "Anna, are we talking… _more_ than just friendship here?"

And while Kristoff hadn't actually spoken a name aloud, the message was clear.

"Maybe," Anna said, hugging her knees to her chest, "I'm really mad at her right now. But…yes."

Everything was just _so_ screwed up right now.

"Okay," Kristoff said slowly, "Well, I'll admit I didn't exactly see that coming."

His words only made Anna want to curl into herself further and disappear, but when she felt Kristoff's arm around her, she let her head find its way to his shoulder, tears burning at the back of her eyes once more.

"But there's nothing wrong with that," Kristoff said, "The only thing that's wrong is what Hans did. And you can't blame yourself either. Because I know you, and I know you're jumping to your own conclusions in that crazy mind of yours. But it's not your fault."

It took Anna a few more minutes to calm down to the point where she could talk. But when she could form her own words again, she said, "Thank you. I don't think I tell you often enough how lucky I am to have you. You're the only one who I can actually talk to."

"Hey," Kristoff said, "That's what I'm here for."

"Well, now you know. Now you know that part of me wants to march down to the barn and knock some sense into her, but the other part of me…is just devastated," Anna sighed.

"You have every right to be mad at her, Anna. And she had no right to blame you as quickly as she had. But now you have an idea of what really did happen, so I think that what you need to do is tell her that. Tell her what you know. And…let her come around to seeing that you're right. Because there isn't anything else that you can do," Kristoff reasoned.

Anna nodded against her best friend's shoulder, "You're right. You always are."

"Well, I wouldn't say _always_."

"Okay, fine," Anna said, smiling for the first time in hours, "Maybe not always. But most of the time. And that's good enough for me."

* * *

Anna really wanted to skip the lab the following day.

But she couldn't.

If she did that, her grades would suffer, and she couldn't let the entire situation spiral out of control like that.

So she forced herself to go, and of course, the experiment that they had to perform was a titration.

And Anna really wasn't any chemistry expert, but she knew enough (although primarily through the rumors that had spread from the students who had performed the experiment in the beginning of the week) to know that titrations were some of the longest experiments to complete. And even better yet, if they went one drop over the point of equilibrium, the entire experiment would have to be done _again_.

 _Well, if she's good for anything right now, it's that we're almost guaranteed to_ not _have to suffer through this twice…_

It was so unbearably frustrating, working with Elsa and knowing that they couldn't discuss what had happened between them during the lab. Being in the classroom instead of the barn, it was like a whole different world—a whole different world where their little 'altercation' wasn't completely disregarded but, perhaps, placed on the back burner to deal with sometime later. Elsa was completely focused on the lab, pretty much ignoring the redhead except for when she would occasionally hold out a piece of lab equipment with an expectant look on her face.

"You could just _ask_ me to take it from you," Anna mumbled.

And while she knew the senior had heard her, the lack of response showed that Elsa just blatantly refused to answer. Because the one thing that still hung over the both of them was that, even if they weren't _talking_ about what had happened, it didn't mean that it _hadn't_ happened.

Sighing, she took the beaker full of a liquid that she identified as the base—in essence, the opposite of an acid. Both solutions were colorless, but Anna knew it was the base because that was what they had to start with. And as she looked from the clear liquid in the beaker and then back up to the table in front of her, she watched Elsa work. She watched the senior set everything up precisely, knowing that, especially now, Elsa wouldn't trust her to connect a power cable to an outlet.

 _Or even be near her damn horse_ , she scowled as her thoughts drifted elsewhere once more. Because no matter how Elsa may act towards her in the lab, she knew that once they walked out the door, everything would be different; or, rather, the same as it had been the night that she first accused Anna of being the one to drug Legacy.

Hot and cold.

That's what it always was with the senior.

Though more recently, she'd been seeing a little too much of the so called 'Ice Queen' side than she'd ever bargained for.

Why was it that she just had to have the world's biggest crush on the world's most _stubborn_ person? Because really, no matter how many times the senior adorably bit her bottom lip in concentration, Elsa was definition going to get a piece of her mind once they were finished with this lab…

" _Anna_."

The word, stern in tone and abrupt in length, pulled the redhead once more out of her thoughts.

"Sorry, what was that?"

"I said I need the beaker," Elsa repeated the words that had gone completely over Anna's head before.

Anna narrowed her eyes, determined to get the senior to let her do something in the lab today besides having the role of the holder of all equipment, "I know where it goes. Move over."

Elsa's eyes seemed to pierce into her own for a second longer than necessary, but the senior was the one who broke their staring contest first, with a loud sigh and a curt, "Fine."

All too pleased with herself, Anna placed the liquid from the beaker into a flask, and then put the flask on the ring stand, which held the buret—a device that would slowly add another liquid into the flask.

"See," Anna said, proudly and just a little too smugly.

Elsa only sighed again, stepping back towards the counter to fill the space that Anna had so graciously vacated.

 _So that you can have full rein of the rest of the experiment_ , Anna rolled her eyes.

Oh, how she couldn't wait until the rest of this lab was over…

* * *

The minute the titration was finished and all of the supplies had been cleaned and put away, Anna wasn't even sure who ran for the door the fastest. Though of course, as always, it was Elsa who had managed to slip out the door before her, and Anna hurried down the steps to keep up with the senior's pace. But once they had reached the main level of the building, before Elsa had a chance to get even a foot away from her, Anna grabbed the back of the blonde's backpack, and didn't let go until Elsa had turned around to face her.

"What?" Elsa asked, crossing her arms. She knew just as well as Anna did that there was no way she was getting out of this one.

And to Anna's surprise, the word didn't sound as cold as it normally would have been…just impatient.

Anna took a breath and said, "I just wanted to say again that it _wasn't_ me. You've had plenty of time to think it over. And so have I. And yesterday, I remembered something. I was too caught up in my anger to realize it before. I was _not_ the only one in the barn on Thursday night. Hans was there. And I think he's the one who drugged Legacy."

Elsa seemed as though she considered Anna's words for a moment, before asking a question not unlike the one that Kristoff had asked only a day earlier, "And why would he do that?"

But somehow, when the question came from the senior herself, it struck a chord inside of Anna that it hadn't with her best friend, and she suddenly found herself glaring, "So within seconds you're wondering why _he_ would do something as horrible as that, and you decide in only a day that I _would_ do it? You're _incredible_."

Because at this point, Anna had had enough.

Lab had been bearable…but _this_?

She just couldn't deal with it anymore.

Because she cared.

She cared so damn much about Elsa; so much about making Elsa understand what had happened, and who the real culprit was, and how never in her life would she ever even _think_ of putting a horse in danger.

But she was so incredibly mad, and right now, her anger was taking a stronger hold than anything else she was feeling. And so before she could do or say anything else that would make the situation worse, she pushed past Elsa and ran outside, the cold air hitting her hard in the face.

* * *

The next test, Anna knew, was work.

The snow still remained a heavy coating on the ground, nowhere near budging with the crazy drop in temperatures they'd been experiencing lately. And so Anna asked Kristoff to drive her to the barn with the arrangement for him to pick her up when her shift was over, as the forecast for the mid-November Thursday called for nothing but more snow.

"Just stay calm," Kristoff told her, knowing all too well, just as Anna herself did, what could sometimes happen when she let her anger get the best of her.

"I'll try," Anna sighed.

"Call me when you're done. I'll be free to get you any time."

Anna nodded to let him know that she had heard him, but she didn't exactly want to continue talking. Worry had settled once more in the pit of her stomach, and she didn't think that she could force herself to say anything else.

Anna stopped at Dee's stall before she headed to the office, the mare's soft muzzle against her hand enough of a comfort, for the time being, for her to face whatever was to come. Giving the mare a final pat, she stepped away from Dee's stall and turned the corner…and was met with the sight of the office door not entire closed, but slightly ajar. Taking a breath, Anna knocked lightly, but even that was enough to cause the door to open a few inches further before Elsa even had time to answer.

The senior didn't look at Anna when she walked in, although Anna had most certainly looked at her. Anna didn't think the pen and clipboard had ever felt so far from her before. Once she'd reached her destination, she performed everything so robotically that she had to check the paper one more time to make sure she had written her own name, and not one of the insane thoughts flying through her mind.

And, just like before, it wasn't until Anna made a move to leave that Elsa spoke for the first time.

"Anna…" Elsa's voice was uncertain and small.

Timid, even.

Hours seemed to pass as Anna locked eyes with the senior, mouth pressed into a thin line.

 _I'm waiting_.

Elsa drew in a sharp breath, looked away from the redhead, and said, "Anna, there are…quite a few things I'd like to say. And I understand if you don't want to hear me out."

Anna crossed her arms and said, "By all means, continue."

The senior paused for a moment before beginning again, "I'd like to start by…thanking you for staying on Sunday, even though I told you to leave. You had no reason to stay and work, but you did, and I appreciate it, even though I didn't deserve your help after I had talked to you like that. And I would also like to thank you for giving me the information about Hans. Because as it turns out…you were right. We—well, Kai and I—found this," Elsa placed an object on the desk—a plastic bag that contained one full and one empty syringe—both topped with the green cap that Anna had identified from earlier, "in his bag yesterday. This matter is to be dealt with seriously, and he will be punished accordingly."

Elsa paused again, still not looking up at Anna. And Anna thought that maybe she was finished, but then she continued talking, "And…I want to apologize, Anna. It was wrong of me to just assume that it was you. I know that you would never purposely put a horse in danger. I know that now, and I knew it then. And I know it's no excuse, but you were absolutely right—I was angry. I was upset. I wanted someone to blame. And that person was, wrongfully so, you. We may have had clashing opinions, but it was wrong of me to hold that against you. And you have every reason not to forgive me, but I'm sorry."

Well, the part about Hans was something she'd already known, but it took all of Anna's effort to keep the surprise she felt from showing on her face.

Elsa had _never_ apologized to Anna before.

With the way the senior had handled the situation, of _course_ it had warranted an apology. But still…

"Well, you're right about one thing—it was definitely wrong of you to jump to conclusions like that. But the most important thing is that no one's hurt. Legacy is fine. So…it's okay. I'm willing to put this behind us. Leave the past in the past," Anna said, uncrossing her arms.

Elsa's blue eyes found their way to Anna's own with an incredulous expression, as if she didn't believe the words that Anna had said. To reinforce the fact that, yes, Anna had (gladly and with _much_ relief) accepted the apology, she gave Elsa a small smile.

And Anna turned then, slipping through the door without completely closing it behind her, because she didn't want the senior to see how relieved she was. She felt like she could almost cry all over again—but from happiness—and _that_ was certainly something that she didn't want Elsa to witness. At least, not something that she wanted the senior to witness at this very moment.

But it didn't change the fact that Anna couldn't have been any happier with the way the last few minutes had gone. Because not only had Elsa seen that it hadn't been Anna's fault, but the senior had pointedly admitted that she had been wrong. She had _asked_ Anna for forgiveness. And somehow, that meant more to Anna than anything else.

* * *

The forecast of snow had definitely proven itself true by the time Anna had finished. And, oddly enough, both Elsa and Legacy were nowhere to be seen.

 _Seriously? Why would she go out in a storm like this?_ Anna wondered.

She had just been about to call Kristoff to pick her up, but for some reason, she felt weird leaving before she knew that the two of them were back safely. The storm was only supposed to get worse…

 _You don't even know where she went. She could be anywhere. Their property is huge,_ Anna reminded herself. _And she can take care of herself_.

Anna was instantly conflicted, but decided that going to look couldn't hurt. Legacy was a training project, after all. What if she'd gotten freaked out by the sudden storm?

Making up her mind, Anna put her phone back in her pocket, and headed to the tack room to grab Dee's bridle, along with her helmet that she had conveniently left in her bag. A voice in the back of her head told her that this wasn't her barn, or her horse—it wasn't her place to take a horse out, alone, in the dark, without permission.

But at the same time, her mind was clouded with thoughts of Elsa. And Lord only knew when she thought of the senior first, it could lead her to do many things without thinking before she acted.

Not wanting to waste any time, Anna didn't bother running back upstairs for a saddle, but she did head to the supply room for a flashlight, because Anna knew that she wouldn't be able to see without one in the storm. Then she bridled the chestnut mare, who didn't seem to care that Anna was taking her out even though it was well past dinnertime.

 _It really is cold out here_ , Anna thought, zipping her jacket all the way as she walked Dee outside. Although there was no mounting block in sight, there was one lone hay bale that had been separated from the others in the hay barn, no doubt because something was wrong with it, and it provided Anna with enough of a height boost to get in the saddle. Turning Dee back towards the barn, the redhead surveyed her surroundings.

The flood lights from the barn allowed Anna to see out around the pastures, and the snow, while it had been falling for a while, was light, and so Anna could still see the vague indentations of hoof prints that must have been none other than Legacy's, headed off in the direction of the woods.

Anna had never been on that part of the property, but nonetheless, she turned Dee in the direction of the trees, the mare taking surefooted steps in the snow beneath her. When they came to the woods, Anna turned the flashlight on, Dee's ears flicking backwards uncertainly at first. But when the mare's surroundings became slightly more illuminated, and less dark and intimidating, Dee settled down. And although she was inclined to stay more alert than the mare who had settled down so easily, even Anna had to relax slightly the further they traveled. Because she found that, surprisingly, the ride was actually quite peaceful.

While Anna wasn't a fan of the dark, or the woods—and especially both of these things in the middle of the winter—she enjoyed watching the small snowflakes fall. She liked how they would land on Dee's mane, peppering the mare's vivid copper color with little splotches of white. She loved how, within the beam of light from the flashlight, the snowflakes seemed to dance as they floated to the ground.

And in a way, it was mesmerizing.

Anna really hadn't known how beautiful winter truly was.

She had always regarded the season as a time of bitter cold and harsh winds, and had resented the fact that it was the sole reason that she had to be cooped up riding inside for months at a time.

But here she was, riding out in the snow…It really was an experience comparable to no other.

It didn't take Anna much longer to find the senior. While the hoof prints had practically all vanished with the constant new coating of snow, the path in the woods was straight and direct, spilling out into a clearing where the trees parted.

And that was where she found Elsa and Legacy.

Anna realized that she didn't need to keep the flashlight on, because although it was dark, the moon was still slightly visible behind the clouds, and the snow around them gave off its own kind of glow. Silently clicking the flashlight off (a sound only addressed by the swiveling of Dee's right ear) Anna took in the sight of the senior, sitting tall atop the Arabian mare and looking out at what could only be a small lake that was now completely frozen over.

And if Anna had thought that winter was beautiful…then Elsa was, indeed, the epitome of winter itself.

The senior's white polo shirt blended so well with the snow around them, and she wore no jacket. Because…the cold had never bothered her. Elsa's pale skin seemed to glow, and snowflakes glistened in that platinum blonde braid. From the distance, Legacy's flea-bitten coat looked pure white as she stood tall and elegant.

And there was no doubt in Anna's mind, as she took in the sight before her, that Elsa herself truly was as regal and graceful as Legacy's namesake.

When Anna was finally able to draw her eyes away from the sight, she figured that she should most likely make her presence known. But then a movement that she caught ever so slightly out of the corner of her eye stopped her from saying anything.

While Elsa had remained perfectly still the entire time Anna had been there, she watched as the senior, in very uncharacteristic display of emotion, leaned all the way forward in the saddle, arms encircling Legacy's neck, face pressed against the snow-covered mane of the Arabian mare. And Legacy didn't seem to mind at all; she merely turned her head briefly in Elsa's direction, gave a small huff that to Anna sounded quite content, and then faced forward once more, unmoving until Elsa was once again sitting up.

No longer willing to verbally announce her presence, Anna settled for just walking Dee over to Elsa and Legacy, positive that the senior would hear her approaching. And it took Dee twenty steps exactly until the two of them were side by side. The horses touched noses, greeting one another. But Elsa's gaze remained on the frozen lake in front of her.

Anna's gaze, while first focused on Elsa, also found its way to that frozen lake. A perfect sheet of ice, with only a thin dusting of snow when compared to everything else around them, was framed between Dee's copper ears. The mare's breaths were visible in the cold, each one making it seem like a fog was hanging over the lake. And Anna thought she could sit there all night, with the senior beside her.

But it was Elsa's soft voice that eventually broke the silence, "You know, you're right about everything."

Although Anna tried to think of what the senior was referring to, she couldn't decide what exactly 'everything' entailed, "What do you mean?"

"I mean just that," Elsa said simply, "Everything. You're right about the way I ride. About the bit. About the training. You're right about…everything."

Elsa's straightforward confession startled Anna slightly, and she wasn't quite certain how to respond. She paused for a moment before saying, "Well, I just like to think of it as…borrowing freedom. These horses, they're incredible animals. They could crush us in a heartbeat if they wanted to. But something inside them—something so incredibly selfless—makes them want to try to listen to what we ask them to do. And if they don't understand, or they get frustrated and do the wrong thing it's okay. Because they're not perfect. We're not perfect. And letting us work with them in the way we do…it's a privilege, not a right."

Following Anna's words, the only sound around them was that of the horses' quiet breaths.

And then Elsa turned to look at her, "That was kind of beautiful."

Anna was positive that her face flushed slightly, "Really?"

Elsa nodded, giving Anna a small smile, "Yeah."

Anna didn't know how to reply after that, but before she could figure out how to, her phone rang, disturbing the formerly peaceful moment.

"It's Kristoff," Anna stated, slightly frustrated that he'd chosen this time to call, "Give me a minute."

Anna sighed and answered the call with words that she hoped weren't tinged with too much annoyance, "Hey, Kristoff."

' _Anna, I've been worried about you. You didn't even call, and I didn't know whether to just come get you or wait or what. Are you done yet?'_

"Well…" Anna trailed off, glancing at the senior out of the corner of her eye. She saw that Elsa had turned away from her, most likely to make it seem as though she was giving Anna some semblance of privacy even though there was no way that Elsa couldn't at least hear Anna's end of the conversation. And knowing this, Anna chose her words carefully, answering her friend with a vague, "Not yet."

' _I'm a little confused_.'

Anna only smiled even though she knew he couldn't see it, "I'll talk to you later."

' _But—_ '

"Later, okay?"

Anna heard a sigh before Kristoff said, _'Fine, later. Just don't make me get you at midnight, please.'_

"I won't," Anna said with a laugh, and then she hung up. Turning back to Elsa she said, "So…are you ready to head back?"

Elsa only nodded.

But when Anna tried to turn on the flashlight, it flickered for a moment before going out completely.

"Ugh," Anna groaned, tapping the flashlight against her palm in the hopes that it would bring the batteries back to life. But all it succeeded in doing was startling Dee. "Sorry, girl," Anna gave the mare a pat before pocketing the flashlight once more. Then she turned to Elsa and said, "I guess we're stuck without light…or wait, I'll use my phone. That'll work," Anna held up her phone, but it didn't give off much light at all.

"It's all right," Elsa said, "We'll be fine."

Oddly reassured by the senior's words (although it was Elsa's home, after all. She definitely had to know where she was going), Anna felt better about heading back into the dark woods even if her phone was only giving off enough light to see only about a foot in front of her.

Their ride was silent, even though while they had been talking by the lake, the wind had definitely picked up and the snow was falling more heavily. And although less often when she was around the senior, Anna found that she herself was the one to break the silence, with the most random (yet relevant) exclamation of, "Tree!"

"What?"

"There's a tree. Across the path," Anna said, holding the phone out closer to Elsa so that the senior could see further, and when Elsa's eyes widened slightly, she knew that Elsa had seen what she had.

"That wasn't there before," Elsa sighed, "It must have come down from the wind."

"I'm jumping it," Anna said.

"What? You're crazy."

"It's only got to be about a foot and a half high," Anna said.

"You can't see anything in front of you, there's snow everywhere, and you don't even have a saddle," Elsa argued.

"Hey, I'm not telling you to jump it, too. You can walk around it."

"And that, I am going to do," Elsa said, "But I think I'll wait until the coast is clear."

Anna only took that as her invitation to go first.

Yes, she was a little wary of the fact that she really couldn't see in front of her. But she had jumped without a saddle before, and she trusted Dee despite the spunky personality she could sometimes have. Anna was confident in the fact that, because Dee had been quiet and responsive the entire ride, the mare would be more than willing to listen to her directions.

Anna repositioned Dee a little further from the tree so that she had enough space to gain momentum. Then she asked Dee to trot, and trusted the mare to find her own distance. And when Anna felt Dee take off, she kept her position forward. She managed to stay balanced over the jump, but had to lean slightly on Dee's neck to reposition herself once the mare landed, as Dee had taken a larger jump than Anna had expected. She let Dee canter a few steps, since that was how she had landed, but brought the mare back down to a walk before they ended up too far away.

"You're crazy," Elsa repeated once more as she maneuvered Legacy around the tree, bending in and out of the various trees that lined the right side of the path without ending up too far in the thicker part of the woods.

Anna only shrugged in response, even though she knew Elsa couldn't see it. But she didn't really know what else to say to that, so the rest of the five minute ride remained as quiet as it had begun.

When they arrived back at the barn, they dried the horses as well as they could before putting their blankets on, working in each horse's respective stall. But Anna ran into Elsa once more when she brought Dee's bridle up to the tack room. And Anna probably would have missed the senior's soft spoken question had she not been so close to her.

"Why'd you come look for me?"

The tone of the question wasn't angry or facetious; simply genuine.

Anna shrugged, "You were gone for a while. And it was getting late. And dark. And the storm was supposed to get worse, which clearly it did."

And if Anna had thought that the previous question was quiet, Elsa's next question was barely even audible, "Why are you even being so nice to me? I was awful to you, and yet you went completely out of your way to find me."

"Well," Anna carefully deliberated her words before she said them, "I guess you could say I've given it some thought, and…I've decided what's worth worrying about."

Elsa's blue eyes shifted from the ground to Anna's own, realization passing through them almost instantaneously.

Whether the senior knew _all_ of the implications that Anna associated with her declaration, the redhead wasn't certain. But now Elsa at least knew that their friendship meant more to Anna than Anna had ever let her believe before.

* * *

 **A/n:** So. Completely irrelevant but: the snow in real life is not very nice when it comes to my horse obsession. We get all this snow on the _exact_ day of my lesson. Effectively making it impossible to get to the barn. Like really, mother nature? What is this conspiracy!?

On the bright side, though, at least I had the time to finish editing this chapter. So your quick update is here a day earlier than planned!

...Anyways, don't mind me. Classes are back in session now, and they mess with my brain on various levels of insanity soooo once again it is why I don't have much to say about the actual story.

But I will say a major thank you to everyone following this story, and especially to everyone who has left reviews! This is my first fic that has ever gotten over a hundred follows, so it's kind of really exciting for me!

And so (after that very productive a/n) thanks for reading!


	14. Chapter 14

Just like with their previous argument, Anna found that, with little time, things went back to normal.

And it seemed that although the fight pushed them further from one another during the course of their misunderstanding, they now almost ended up closer to each other than they had been before as far as conversations and small talk went—which was _perfectly_ fine with Anna.

Elsa would talk to Anna more during Anna's shift, and Anna noticed that Elsa would ride more in Anna's presence as well. And Anna didn't know where the Pelham bit had gone, but it was no longer in the tack room. Elsa didn't use it with Legacy again. This didn't mean that Legacy no longer fought, though. Elsa's work with the Arabian mare, while improving, never exactly ended any differently than in a game of tug-of-war. It had simply become more of a matter of getting the mare to behave for longer amounts of time _before_ putting up a fight, which, as it were, wasn't that simple at all.

No matter what she felt though, Anna knew by now that it wasn't her place to intervene. Anna was the only reason that Elsa was now working with the horse in the snaffle, so that was good enough for her. Even if the senior hadn't yet attempted to alter the way that she was riding, relying less on corrective aids was something Anna considered to be a step in the right direction.

But on this particular day, a week and a half after the argument, Elsa had Lance out on the crossties instead of Legacy.

"Giving Legacy a break?" Anna asked as she worked her way down the stalls.

Elsa shrugged, her response not quite as straightforward as Anna would have expected, "Sort of."

"Okay," Anna said, choosing not to question it, "But doesn't it get overbearing though? You know, having to work with two horses at once?"

"Well, I'm not exactly _working_ with him yet," Elsa said.

"What do you mean?" Anna asked, confused.

"The only time he's been ridden here was when you rode him."

At the senior's words, Anna wondered if maybe there was a reason for that. She distinctly remembered Elsa saying that she wanted to watch someone else ride the horse before she did—that she needed to see the way he moved. And in a way, it made sense. But Anna had a feeling that there was more to it than just that.

"Oh," Anna said, "So are you just hacking him then?"

"Not exactly. I mean, I've got to start with him sometime, right? My parents are coming back from wherever they are now—Germany, I think?—sometime after winter break starts. So ideally I should have made some progress with him already. But it is what it is."

"All the exercise he's gotten is turnout, right?" Anna asked.

"And some work on the lunge line," Elsa added, "to make up for the fact that he can't exactly be a part of the lesson program. Hopefully he's got some manners now, but I guess we'll just have to find out."

"Well, have fun with him," Anna joked as she moved on to the next stall. And though she was already halfway down the aisle, she heard Elsa's answer loud and clear: "Fun is _quite_ an understatement."

And an understatement it was, as Anna spent most of her time watching the senior ride. Because once she had figured out how to (for once) keep her mouth shut, watching Elsa ride had recently become a habit. And even better yet, Elsa no longer seemed to mind.

Anna could tell from the very beginning when Lance pinned his ears and walked in circles around the mounting block instead of staying put that the entire ride was certainly going to be one hectic experience. The horse was certainly in no mood to work.

It seemed that the mounting block itself was what spurred Lance's response; Anna figured that he must have picked up this habit from wherever Elsa's parents had gotten him. Anna could practically see the thoughts going through the devious horse's mind: the mounting block meant someone getting on and someone getting on meant work. And work, Anna was positively certain, was something that Lance wanted to avoid at all costs. But Elsa outsmarted the warmblood gelding by leading Lance away from the mounting block and just getting on from the ground.

This action impressed Anna, as getting on from the ground was a skill she had yet to master, and the distance from the ground to the stirrup was in no way short. But it surprised Lance, who had been standing still, probably thinking he'd been the one to outsmart Elsa and get out of working. And even before Elsa had her other foot in the stirrup, Lance just started to walk off on his own. The sight nearly made Anna laugh, but Elsa, of course, was able to adjust her position as if nothing had ever happened. And she made Lance halt, which ended up turning into the gelding attempting to sidestep every which way in order to evade staying in one place for an extended period of time.

Seeing how uncooperative Lance was being from the beginning, part of Anna wondered why Elsa's parents would have even considered the headstrong gelding to be a dressage prospect.

 _But that's probably because you know nothing about dressage_ , Anna reminded herself.

Once Elsa had gotten Lance to stay in place for just about a minute—probably as long as the gelding would allow for—she continued to walk him around the arena. And Anna could tell that Elsa was already preparing for the worst, holding the reins tightly, with a stature that looked almost…defensive.

Lance didn't need _any_ encouragement to get moving. Anna hadn't even seen the senior's leg move at all when Lance burst into an erratic trot. Forget collected—the gelding had a mind of his own. He ignored any pressure that Elsa put on the reins (of course, it didn't help that it was _constant_ pressure), and acted against it by jerking his head up and flying onward twice more around the arena before finally coming back down to the walk.

The second time Elsa asked Lance for a change of gait, he completely skipped the trot, diving forward into the canter. Anna remembered from the time that she had ridden Lance that his _collected_ canter had actually been comfortable. But when Lance got faster—then Anna had had to really put her riding skills to the test. The faster Lance got, the more she'd had to fight for every muscle in her body to stay in one place, attempting to avoid what had inevitably happened: falling off.

But unlike Anna's experience with the crazy gelding, there was no doubt about the fact that Elsa really was an excellent rider as far as hanging on for the unexpected. Because what Anna _hadn't_ seen coming was for Lance—seemingly the king of taking off—to finally give into the tugging on the reins. But naturally, being the king of mischief, he decided to do so in the most disrespectful way.

Instead of transitioning from the canter to the trot, Lance decided to skid to a complete stop, ducking to the side of the arena as if he were refusing a jump. And Elsa, who had most certainly not been expecting that, was thrown forward slightly onto the gelding's neck. Once Elsa had fixed her position, she use her leg to urge the horse onward again. Even though the intention had been for the horse to stop, he couldn't get away with stopping short. But, being stubborn as usual, Lance remained firmly planted in place. So after a larger kick that earned no response, Elsa tapped Lance with the riding crop that she was carrying. But instead of moving forward, Lance kicked out with one of his back legs, and then promptly walked backwards. His chain of responses was the complete opposite of what he'd been asked to do.

Anna knew, as she was sure Elsa herself knew, that Lance couldn't be allowed to get away with his behavior. But one more tap from the crop—harder this time—was enough to get Lance moving forward again.

Anna had to assume that he was used to getting away with his bad behavior, and that he wasn't used to getting reprimanded for it. But the most basic foundation of training was respect; if the horse had no respect for the rider, progress would be minimal and very difficult to achieve.

Continuing along with his disrespectful nature though, Lance skidded to a stop in the next corner of the arena. This time, Anna knew that Elsa had prepared for it by the way she seemed to brace her body slightly before they'd even gotten close to the corner. And because Elsa hadn't been unseated in any way, she was able to attempt to correct the problem immediately, again with the crop. But this time the gelding's reaction was immediate. Lance shot off like a bullet, going right from a walk to a canter than was nearly on the verge of a gallop. But not before giving another one of his signature large bucks, sending Elsa forward once more with enough force to cause the senior to lose not just one but _both_ of her stirrups. Which she now had to manage without as Lance barreled onward once more.

But as much of a fiasco as it seemed (what with Lance's head pointed to the sky, the stirrup irons flapping wildly by his sides, and the continuous increase of speed), Anna was really in awe of how Elsa was able to stay on. While the stirrups jolted about aimlessly, Elsa's legs remained firm and unmoving. She leaned as far back in the saddle as she could, having to work both against Lance to get him to slow down but also _with_ Lance so that she wouldn't end up on the ground. What Anna didn't agree with was how much Elsa was holding Lance's head. Anna was positive that if the senior had worked the horse on a looser rein from the beginning, Lance wouldn't have been as awful. But nothing changed the fact that Anna was impressed by how well Elsa had stuck it out. Not _once_ did the senior seem as if she was going to lose her balance. And when she finally succeeded in getting the gelding back down to a springy trot that seemed as if it would turn into another canter at any given moment, she didn't even bother trying to get her stirrups back.

Instead, she focused on circling Lance to get him back under control. What Anna thought was even smarter was the fact that, instead of sitting the trot—as this was part of the cue to canter—Elsa returned to posting. And as Anna watched the senior rise with the rhythm of Lance's gradually slowing trot, legs never once slipping back, heels immaculately positioned downward, upper body firm and maintaining control, she couldn't help but find herself drawn to the sight.

But, soon enough, Elsa was able to bring Lance down to the walk as the circle grew tighter and tighter, only leaving room for Lance to slow down.

"Well, I think we've had enough _fun_ for one day," Elsa said, her words filling the empty arena. And with that, she took the reins in one hand and swung down from the tall horse, who only balked and pinned his ears when Elsa tried to lead him forward. Giving a firmer tug on the reins, Elsa said, "You're ten times worse than Legacy. Come _on_."

But no amount of coaxing could get the gelding to walk out of the arena.

Anna only sighed, shaking her head, not exactly sure how Elsa was going to get _anywhere_ with a horse that awful.

 _Especially if she keeps holding him back_ , Anna thought.

If Elsa had let the horse get the energy out of his system in the beginning instead of holding him back every time he got faster, maybe then he would have been more willing to listen. And while Elsa probably knew that, Anna also knew that the senior was in no way willing to give up that much control.

Anna sighed. She needed to stop thinking about things like this. Because even though she believed it could work…

 _It's not my place to intervene_.

So turning her attention away from the standoff between the blonde and the stubborn horse, Anna continued sweeping. And all went well for the first few seconds of the simple task but, of course, being her clumsy self, she didn't see that there was a water bottle sitting abandoned on the edge of the railing. And she didn't realize, with all of the layers of clothing that she was wearing, that her elbow had come into contact with it until she heard a small scrape from the bottom of the plastic against the wood of the ledge.

And she turned just in time to watch the water bottle fall down.

Down.

 _Down_.

Until it landed with a small _crunch_ in the arena below.

And that small noise was enough to send Lance _reeling_.

Anna visibly cringed when she watched Lance's eyes grow wide, his two front legs prancing as if he were threatening to lift them entirely off the ground. He snorted angrily and threw his head upwards, nearly causing the reins to slip out of Elsa's hands.

" _Whoa_ , Lance," Elsa said, her tone firm.

It took Lance a few seconds—most likely to decide whether or not he wanted to bolt—before he settled for lunging forward at a springy walk, in a direction that was most certainly _away_ from the life-threatening water bottle.

But at least it was in a direction that just so happened to lead out of the arena.

And once Elsa had managed to get Lance back on the crossties, Anna, mentally berating herself for her stupidity and clumsiness, rushed back downstairs to remove the water bottle from the arena.

"Sorry about that," Anna said, after she had thrown out the water bottle and gone to find the senior.

"Don't apologize," Elsa said, "If it weren't for you, I don't think I'd have even gotten him out of the arena."

Anna laughed, "Lance really is something."

"Something crazy."

"And stubborn," Anna added.

Elsa rolled her eyes, "Insane."

And then somehow, it turned into a battle to see who could exhaust all the possibilities of adjectives to describe Lance first.

"Wild," Anna shot back.

"Uncontrollable."

"Headstrong."

"Adamant."

"Difficult."

"Arrogant."

"Unreasonable."

"Obstinate."

Anna stuck out her tongue, "Using big words is _not_ fair."

"That's a very flattering look for you," Elsa laughed.

Oh, that _laugh_ …It was making it very difficult for Anna to keep up her feigned annoyance, and for once, she didn't know what else to say.

"But if you can't think of anything else then…it looks like I win," Elsa said very matter-of-factly as she fastened the last buckles of Lance's blanket.

"I can _so_ think of something else," Anna narrowed her eyes.

"All right, then. Let's see you try," Elsa challenged.

Anna desperately tried to picture the dictionary, or pull some scholarly word from the far recesses of her mind. But…nothing was coming to her. And before she could open her mouth to accept defeat, she felt something warm against her neck, which caused her heart rate to momentarily soar in shock.

Upon careful consideration of the situation, Anna found that it definitely _wasn't_ Elsa, who was by Lance's stall getting the gelding's lead rope.

 _But of course, my brain would definitely jump to that idea, wouldn't it_ , Anna thought in embarrassment.

Once she got over her hyperactive thoughts, she realized that what she had felt—and what she was _still_ feeling—was Lance's head, resting slightly on her shoulder.

Anna hadn't realized how close she had gotten in proximity to the large horse. And while she was slightly confused by Lance's sudden display of affection, she didn't dare move, for fear of startling him.

The moment lasted for barely five seconds longer, but it was long enough for Elsa to have turned around and caught the sight—meeting Anna's confused ' _I don't know how this happened_ ' look with slightly widened eyes. And it was only when Lance had once again picked his head up that Anna spoke again, her voice soft, "Misunderstood."

"What?"

"My word," Anna clarified, "He's…misunderstood."

Elsa thought about it for a minute, before slowly nodding, all thoughts of competition set aside, "Yeah," she said, eyes meeting Anna's own, "some things are. And…it takes someone special to see through all of that."

And as Anna held the gaze of the senior, her heart seemed to soar once more ever so slightly. Because something told Anna that Elsa's words held meaning for more than just the horse standing next to her.

* * *

"The limit of one over zero from the right is…infinity," Anna spoke aloud a week later as she attempted to complete her work at the barn and simultaneously review for her pre-calculus exam. Almost all equations had limits, meaning a specific number that the graph approached as the values got either larger or smaller. In Anna's cause, she had to memorize the standard, commonly known limits. And considering how well this little review was going...she had no hopes of doing quite as well as she would have liked. But she continued on anyway, knowing that it would benefit her in the long run to see what she rememberd, "The limit of one over zero from the left is…infinity…no, it's _negative_ infinity—"

"Calculus?"

Anna heard the question followed by a soft laugh.

Turning to find Elsa walking out of Legacy's stall, Anna told her, "Pre-calc, actually."

"I didn't think they got into limits in pre-calc," Elsa said, placing Legacy's halter back on the stall door.

"Yeah, well, apparently the professors have this new perspective called 'hey, let's torture our students'," Anna rolled her eyes, "And so now I've got a huge exam tomorrow. It's our last one. It's worth about fifteen percent of our grade, or something crazy like that. And I barely understand limits at all. I'm trying to memorize everything that we're supposed to, but it's hard when I don't even understand the concepts behind everything."

"Well…" Elsa started. She paused for a moment and then said, "I could help you if you want."

"Really?" Anna exclaimed, "That'd be great! And here I was thinking that I was going to fail this exam!"

"Hey, I didn't promise that I'd remember _everything_ ," Elsa said.

 _You're the smartest person that I know. Of course you'll remember everything_ , Anna thought. But all she said was, "I'll take all the help I can get."

"I just need to finish up with a few things first. And you need to finish sweeping."

"Right!" Anna said, "I'll be finished soon. I just need to go upstairs, and then I'll be done."

And Anna didn't think she'd ever swept so quickly in her life.

 _It's a good thing you have your books today_ , Anna thought as she grabbed her backpack from the lounge before she headed back down stairs. She put the broom away, and went to sign out in the office.

"Would you be opposed to going up to the house to work on this? I don't think there's enough room on this desk with all of the papers I have here," Elsa said.

 _Opposed?_ Anna thought, fighting her grin, "No. Not at all."

Anna waited for Elsa to finish whatever it was she was doing at the computer, and then the two of them walked silently up to the house. When they stepped inside, Elsa said, "The kitchen would probably be the easiest place to work."

Anna only nodded, heading into the gigantic kitchen and placing her bag down on the floor next to one of the chairs.

"I guess I should ask you if you want something to eat?" Elsa said, "I'm…not really used to having anyone over."

"Well, I didn't eat anything before I came for work. But I don't want you to go through the trouble of getting anything. I'm already taking up your time."

"You're not taking up my time," Elsa said, "I offered. It's not like I'd be doing anything but paperwork. Or studying for my own exams. Just work and schoolwork on top of it. Got to keep that GPA up."

And although it was a seemingly simple statement, there was something about the senior's voice that sounded more distant and lonely than the words themselves.

"Okay," Anna said, not wanting to make Elsa upset, "What do you have?"

Elsa shot a confused look at the redhead, "What, my GPA?"

"No, no, not at all!" Anna said, her tone rushed. Elsa _really_ must have gone somewhere else when she'd said those words, and now Anna had to make up for accidentally spurring the touchy topic as a point of conversation, even if it had all transpired over a misinterpretation, "I was talking about the food. Like what you had to eat! Not that I wouldn't want to know your GPA—or wait, no, that came out wrong! I don't need to know your GPA. Most people don't want to talk about that. Not that yours isn't high or anything. I'm sure it's _insanely_ high. Like, a 4.0—"

"Anna," Elsa interrupted the redhead's rambling, "It's fine. It's my fault—I just…" Elsa trailed off here, and Anna thought that she was just going to stop talking altogether, but was rather surprised when the senior continued, "Whenever I…think about work and grades and school, even for the tiniest moment, I get hung up on it. _Really_ hung up on it. I can't help but think how I've worked so hard _all the time_ —to be this…this good, obedient little girl that my parents wanted to grow up to be the perfect spitting image of what they saw me as in order to run the riding school. And sometimes I can't stand that I'm still trying to be that perfect. I work so hard to get those grades, and to make sure that every little thing runs smoothly in the barn and with the equestrian team and with the clients. And I do everything for them and do they ever stop and think about what I want?" Elsa closed her eyes, as if the words that came from her mouth physically hurt her, "It just…reminds me so much that this isn't the life that I want."

While Anna knew that the life her parents had chosen for her was a decision that Elsa had been forced into unwillingly, she was still surprised to hear such a forward admission of the senior's feelings.

In fact, it was a rarity.

And for once, Anna didn't know what to say; didn't know how to comfort Elsa, although she wanted to desperately.

"But never mind all of that," Elsa spoke again before Anna even had the chance, "I've already accepted it. I've decided that it's for the horses, anyway, not for my parents. What was it that you wanted to eat?"

And so there Elsa went, pushing Anna away before she even had the _chance_ to help. But as much as it pained Anna to see Elsa's beautiful eyes clouded with pain and worry, she knew that if she tried to talk about it with the senior, they'd just go backwards again. So bottling her own emotions and thoughts of comfort, Anna answered, "I like sandwiches. And anything and everything involving chocolate."

At this, Elsa actually smiled, "I should have guessed about the chocolate. You mentioned it before. And you were the one who put it in my coffee, after all."

"You remember that?" Anna thought back to that day when she had barely known Elsa at all. There was no way that _Anna_ had forgotten about it.

"Any coffee I've had since has yet to taste that amazing," Elsa said.

"I guess you should come in more often when I'm working then," Anna told the blonde, knowing very well that it would just be another excuse for Anna to be able to see Elsa even more.

"Maybe I will," Elsa said.

A few minutes later, Elsa set a plate down in front of Anna, and then sat down in the seat next to her. Noticing that there was only one sandwich, Anna asked, "Aren't you going to have anything?"

"Well considering the fact that I already ate dinner, I think I'm going to wait for the chocolate. Which comes _after_ you have mastered the concept of limits," Elsa said.

"That's so not fair!" Anna exclaimed, "I'm hopeless at math!"

"You won't be if we actually get to work."

Sighing overdramatically, Anna pulled out her books, and handed Elsa the homework she'd been using as a review, "I get how to _solve_ for limits. But I don't understand how to find them on a graph. Like…in the second example. The limit as 'x' approaches zero from the right, with the one over 'x' equation. I know from memorization that the limit is infinity."

"But you want to know how to find it on a graph," Elsa said.

"Right."

Elsa took the pencil that Anna had also taken out, flipped the piece of paper over, and began sketching the graph that Anna couldn't even remember how to draw herself.

"So when you look at the graph, what can you tell me about it?" Elsa asked.

"Uh…" Anna looked at the graph, but all she could think about was how precisely it had been drawn. Nothing mathematical stood out to her at all. There were two curves, one on the right and one on the left. And all Anna could come up with was: "It looks like the letter 'L' and its mirror image…diagonally."

Elsa laughed slightly before saying, "Okay. That wasn't exactly what I had in mind. But…if that's what you'd like to consider them, which one of these so called 'L's do you think applies to the statement of 'x' approaching zero from the right?"

Anna stared at the graph for a few more moments before guessing, "The one on the right?"

"Correct," Elsa said, "Now what you want to look at is _what_ the line of the graph is doing as it gets closer to zero."

"It's going upwards," Anna said, "The 'y' values are getting larger."

"Indefinitely," Elsa added.

"Wait a minute…" Anna said, as realization hit her, "I think I get it. Because they're constantly getting larger, the limit is infinity."

"Exactly," Elsa said, "So what if I asked you, just by looking at the graph, what the limit is as 'x' approaches zero from the left. Forget what you had to memorize; I want you to explain _how_ what you memorized is true."

"Okay," Anna said, "So this time I'm looking at the left part of the graph, right?"

"Right."

"And so this time as 'x' approaches zero…the line is going downwards, which means that 'y' values are getting smaller. Indefinitely. Which makes the limit negative infinity."

Elsa smiled, "See, you're getting the hang of it now."

"I guess I am," Anna said, amazed at how much more clear the concept was becoming.

"So then, what would happen if I asked you what the limit is as 'x' approaches zero?"

Anna considered the question. And then continued to think about it.

For a long time.

They had _definitely_ gone over this in class, but Anna didn't remember a single moment of discussing it.

"I don't know," Anna said eventually, staring at the line of the graph that went up indefinitely, and the line of the graphy that went down indefinitely, "I don't know if it's infinity, or if it's negative infinity."

"And that's because it's neither," Elsa said. Picking up the pencil again, she drew over each line that bordered the y-axis, effectively making them stand out more than the rest of the graph, "If the limit as 'x' approaches zero from the right goes up to infinity, and the limit as 'x' approaches zero from the left goes down to negative infinity, then the side limits conflict. Which means that the limit as 'x' approaches zero, _just_ zero, doesn't exist."

"Hold on. So you're telling me that the limit doesn't exist at zero? Even though we just found two of them?"

"Well…your problem is that you're not exactly thinking about the concept of a limit the right way. You see it as a value at a point on the graph, am I right?"

Anna couldn't even comprehend what the senior was talking about, and she didn't have a better way to say it, "I have no idea what you're talking about anymore."

Elsa paused for a moment, and then suggested, "Why don't we compare it to something you're familiar with. Let's say you're riding a horse. And you're in the arena and you're riding on the rail, bending around the turn. You want to steer as close to the rail as possible, so that you don't cut the corner. But your horse never actually _touches_ the rail."

Anna nodded.

"So it's the same for a limit. The graph can never actually _touch_ the number it's approaching. That would be impossible. So it just gets as close to it as it possibly can. Does it make more sense now?"

"Kind of," Anna said, "I think so."

"Are you sure?" Elsa asked.

Anna nodded, "Yes. It's not what the graph is doing _at_ zero. It's what it's doing when it gets _close_ to zero. And because the graph is doing two opposite things on either side of zero, it doesn't match so the limit can't exist."

"Well, if you're satisfied with that, then I think you've earned your chocolate," Elsa smiled.

"Chocolate makes learning things worth it," Anna joked. Though silently she added, _w_ _ell, that and you. Sitting here with me. Talking with me._

Elsa only laughed, and came back from the refrigerator with two slices of chocolate cake. And with it being _cake_ , Anna's was gone in a matter of minutes. But she stayed until Elsa was finished, and since it was late and already dark, Elsa drove Anna back to campus.

"Thanks for your help," Anna said, before she shut the car door, "I don't quite know what I would have done otherwise."

"No problem," Elsa said, "I…enjoyed the company."

Anna smiled, "Then I guess we'll just have to do this again."

"With the math and all?" Elsa teased.

"Preferably _not_ with the math," Anna laughed.

"We'll see," Elsa answered. But even amid the dim light of the car, from where Anna was standing outside of it she could see all of the features of Elsa's face shift slightly as the senior smiled.

And then entire walk back to her dorm room, Anna couldn't manage to keep another smile of her own from spreading across her face.

"Well _someone_ worked late," Rapunzel said when Anna opened the door.

"Actually, Elsa was helping me with pre-calc," Anna said, "So if you need any pointers, let me know."

"I _told_ you that you should ask her. Glad you finally took my advice," Rapunzel joked, "But as for me, I'm planning on just dealing with whatever comes tomorrow."

"Meaning you're not studying?"

"I looked over my notes. And I'll look over them again tomorrow but…yeah I'm not studying."

Anna shook her head in amazement, "You're crazy."

Because sure, maybe Anna wasn't always a perfect student. But at least she chose to make an effort even when it seemed like there was no hope.

 _And because you were studying you got to spend more time with Elsa_ , Anna reminded herself.

Just thinking about the evening she'd had with Elsa made her smile again—a ridiculous little smile that somehow escaped her roommate's attention unscathed and safe from teasing. And once more it remained plastered onto face until…

A thought struck her.

A thought so insane and crazy and uncanny, yet so perfectly accurate that Anna couldn't believe she hadn't thought of it sooner.

 _Elsa_ was the definition of a limit.

It didn't matter how hard Anna tried; how _long_ Anna tried.

They could move three steps backward and two steps forward, or two steps backward and three steps forward…no matter what, it seemed as though she couldn't get completely through to Elsa

There was never a close enough point _at_ which Anna could be in relation to Elsa.

There was always a distance—a distance at which Anna had to stay.

But _God_ did she want to break that limit.

 _And I'm not going to stop trying_ , Anna vowed _, I don't care how long it takes. I don't care if it's considered impossible._

 _I'm not going to give up._

* * *

 **A/n:** So...it's been a little while, hasn't it?

My classes this semester are destroying any semblance of a normal updating schedule, so I apologize for that. I don't currently plan on taking any hiatus in any way, but do know that updates might be a little more spread out until the semester is over.

Moving on though…I guess that all these years of math and calculus have broken me, clearly. If all the limit stuff confused you, I'm sorry. I usually try to avoid technical things (like math) in my writing because I know it can get tedious to read when you really don't know what it means. So that's why I didn't try to explain it too much in depth. But having the analogy in there was worth it to me. Plus it was something other than horses, so I figured I'd try for something different. So if you were able to follow along, good for you! But if you're really confused and it really interests you, go look up the graph of 1/x. Or take a crash course in calc—either one should do that trick.

And also let me just explain the word hacking as it's used in the equestrian world, because I'm sure it probably sounded very strange to read: basically when you 'hack' a horse you're giving the horse a light workout.

But that's all I've got to say for now so as always, thanks for reading!


	15. Chapter 15

" _Yes_!" Anna exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement and ultimately doing a little dance within the confinement of her seat when the professor handed back her pre-calculus exam. It had taken him _forever_ to grade it—a whole week; Anna had been counting. And now as she stared down at the 98% marked at the top of her paper, she realized that everything she had done in preparation had been worth it.

 _And of course, having Elsa explain everything was beneficial in multiple ways_ , Anna reminded herself. Because who knew studying could be…well…fun? It was almost unheard of. But when Anna was around the senior, at times it seemed like almost anything was possible.

On the other hand though, from the seat next to her, Rapunzel let out a small groan. Turning her attention to her roommate, Anna was almost afraid to ask what the verdict was. So she settled for, "I'm guessing it didn't go quite as planned?"

"Unless you'd consider a 72 great, then no," Rapunzel answered. But her tone was light and she was smiling anyway, so it didn't seem as though the grade bothered her too much, "But I still have the final to bring it back up."

"I don't even want to _think_ about a final," Anna said with a laugh, even though she knew that it would be quickly approaching. Winter break was right around the corner, which meant that finals were even closer.

Anna's roommate only shrugged, "Me either. But I realized over the course of doing so poorly on this exam and almost failing my last biology exam that slacking off at the end of the semester _maybe_ isn't the smartest thing to do. Even if I spent the whole first part of the semester working hard. Actually, _especially_ if I spent the whole beginning of the semester working my butt off because now all that hard work is going to go right down the—"

Rapunzel was cut off by the professor's voice, ringing loud and clear among the fairly large pre-calculus class: "And make sure to check online for the final review guide. I plan on posting it tonight, and I want you all to have problems one through twenty completed for next class."

This comment earned a subtle, yet collective groan from the students—Anna's roommate included. But Anna only laughed to herself, knowing all too well from the torture of trying to memorize _every_ possible date and detail from her history class that they were all lucky that they even had a review guide to study from at all.

* * *

That night, Anna had one of her last riding lessons of the semester. Even though there wouldn't be any more competitions until closer to the middle of the spring semester when they would return from break, Weselton still felt that the team members needed to "keep in shape before putting on those extra pounds during the holidays". Anna had laughed and Belle had rolled her eyes, and Olaf—being Olaf and the kind of person who wouldn't want to insult even the most annoying of insects—nodded his head like he agreed very much with Weselton's assumptions.

But now, however, there was no joking of eating too much or getting out of shape. Tonight seemed to be drill after drill after drill of insanely strenuous exercises—so much so that Anna swore she'd only ridden with stirrups for about five minutes of the entire lesson. And it didn't help that Knight decided to jump every little crossrail as if it were two feet instead of not even a foot. Of all nights to not be assigned to ride Dee…

Anna made a mental note to ask Elsa why the mare wasn't in their lesson tonight if she got the chance to see her. It was a rarity now (even though Elsa told her time and time again that it was good for Anna to ride different horses since that was the basis of the competitions) that Anna would go even two lessons without getting the chance to ride Dee. But Anna honestly couldn't remember the last time she'd had a lesson with her favorite chestnut mare. And while spunky and more willing to do what _she_ wanted to do rather than what she was asked to do, Dee was certainly a smoother ride than Knight.

"But I think," Anna said as she leaned down to give Knight a pat for his good behavior during the lesson, "That is something that we'll deal with _after_ you're back in your stall."

Anna put the reins in on hand and slid down from the saddle, wincing as soon as her feet hit the ground, "Though on second thought, maybe it's something I'll have to deal with after I've regained feeling in my legs."

Weselton had already left the arena, so when Anna's comment was voiced louder than she'd intended for it to come out, she was met with a response from Olaf, who most likely felt that it was now okay to complain because their instructor was out of earshot: "You can't feel your legs? I can't feel _my_ legs! It's probably been since last year that I had a lesson that difficult!"

"Better get used to it," Belle laughed. Being a junior, she knew all about the team and what the 'newbies' were in for, "Weselton only gets more strict by the spring semester when he realizes that all we can think about is summer."

"Oh, but I love summer!" Olaf exclaimed, his exited tone nearly making his horse jump, "All things warm, and the beach, and—"

"Nice going," Anna laughed, "Now you've gotten him back on one of his summer rants."

She knew how much Olaf loved summer. Well, maybe it was more like the entire _school_ knew how much he loved summer with how much he talked about it. He was in the drama club as well as on the equestrian team (although how he managed both activities and classes, Anna wasn't sure), and rumor had it that for the club's performance at the end of the year, he'd be singing his own song that he'd written about none other than summer.

"The damage has been done," Bell stated gravely as Olaf continued on and on about his favorite season.

Anna only laughed again, knowing how ridiculous her teammates could get at the end of a long lesson. If anyone were to ever witness their craziness, they'd probably be more apt to label the three of them as part of a middle school team rather than as part of a college team. But even still, Anna couldn't resist continuing along with the joke, "The horror! We'll be trapped in summer until the end of time!"

"Or until a certain someone turns off the lights in the arena and your summer world is plunged into darkness."

All three teammates frozen in place. Belle looked to the ground. Olaf—in mid-description of a palm tree by the ocean—even stopped talking without finishing his thought. And Anna's almost uncontrollable laughter was replaced by nothing but a burning that she felt make its way first to her face, and then all the way down her neck.

Of all the people to overhear that, it had to be _Elsa_?

"Um, yeah, about that…" Anna mumbled, "We were just leaving."

Belle made a dash for the door the fastest, her sprightly little pony all too eager to follow, and, never one to be embarrassed, Olaf gave an exuberant wave before following in her footsteps. Which left Anna in the middle of the arena with a confused looking Knight ,who was no doubt wondering why his friends were allowed to head back and eat their dinner while he was still stuck in the arena.

And of course, there was Elsa, who was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, her focus on Anna with a look that was borderline amused. But no matter what Anna had been anticipating the senior would say to her, none of her thoughts came anywhere remotely close to the question she was actually met with, "So what do you think would be better, an eternal summer or an eternal winter?"

"Which one do _you_ think would be better?" Anna asked, still not quite over her embarrassment and finding it much easier to ask the questions instead of being ridiculed (albeit jokingly) for her answers.

"I asked you first," Elsa said very matter-of-factly.

"Fine then. _I'd_ like an eternal _spring_ ," Anna said in the same tone of voice, daring the senior to challenge her.

"Spring wasn't an option," Elsa answered, "You're avoiding the question."

"And you didn't answer when I asked you, so I believe that makes us even," Anna declared.

Elsa held the redhead's gaze for a moment longer, a hint of a smile still tugging at the corner of her mouth, before saying, "Just bring Knight inside so I can shut the lights in here. He's done more than his share of work."

Not entirely sure what to make of their not-so-serious interaction, Anna only answered, "Okay," before leading Knight out of the arena. And by the time she had the gelding in his stall, both Olaf and Belle were long gone. So it startled Anna—for the second time that night—when she heard a voice from what she had previously thought was an empty aisle.

"Want some help?"

"That would…actually be great," Anna admitted, turning to find the senior who had already let herself into Knight's stall.

Elsa—much more quickly than Anna ever could in the exhausted state she was in—had Knight's tack off and back upstairs before Anna even had a chance to finish brushing the gelding off. And there was a particular order of brushes for grooming a horse: the first was the curry comb, the second was the hard brush, and the third was the soft brush. Anna was still using the curry comb by the time Elsa was back downstairs. And so joining Anna once more in the gelding's stall, Elsa worked on brushing one side of Knight, while Anna stayed on her own side. Then, unsure of what to say, or how to fill the silence, Anna settled for taking the opportunity to ask about Dee.

"All horses need breaks every now and then, which I'm sure you probably know. So there's nothing wrong with her," Elsa explained, "She'll be back in your lessons by the time we're back from winter break. But hey," Elsa said, already changing the subject, "How'd you do on that pre-clac exam?"

"Actually pretty well, thanks to you," Anna answered proudly.

"You caught on more quickly than you gave yourself credit for," Elsa answered, "All it took was fifteen minutes and the promise of chocolate cake."

At this, Anna laughed, "Where there's chocolate cake, there's a way."

"I believe the saying goes 'if there's a will, there's a way'," Elsa corrected.

Anna narrowed her eyes jokingly, "Same difference."

The two seemed to fall into a peaceful silence after that, Anna noticing that neither of them had even reached for a different brush in the time they'd been talking. And as ridiculous as it might sound, Anna reveled in that small fact. Because couldn't it mean that Elsa wanted to stay here and spend time with Anna just as much as Anna wanted to spend time with the senior?

It was Knight, though, who eventually disrupted the quiet, lowering his head from his feed bucket once he'd finished the last of his grain, and moving towards the corner of his stall, where there was a fresh pile of hay waiting to be diminished.

As he remained preoccupied with more food, it didn't take long after that to finish grooming Knight and get his blanket on; the gelding was situated happily in his stall in a matter of minutes. And Elsa's offer of a ride back up to campus was one that no longer really even needed to be asked aloud.

"You know," Elsa said as she pulled the car up to the curb, "I don't think I'd mind if the only season we ever got around here was winter."

"Well yeah, that's because no matter the weather you just wear the same polo shirts. Not all of us are immune to temperatures below freezing," Anna laughed.

"Spring's not perfect either. Why deal with the rain when you could have snow instead?"

"Snow is pretty, but it's impractical," Anna said as she opened the door, "It gets in the way."

"Maybe," Elsa answered, "But only if you let it."

* * *

Though Elsa's words about snow and winter seemed to resonate with her for a few days after she'd heard them, Anna had to remind herself that sometimes, Elsa surprised her with these seemingly optimistic words of wisdom. And while there was an obvious truth in the statement, maybe what mattered most was not so much what the words meant, but the fact that Elsa had, once again, been willing to share something so heartfelt with Anna. And she was lost once more thinking about the progress she'd made with the senior when she was startled out of her thoughts by Kristoff.

"So I'm sorry, did you say that you knew about this already?"

The two of them were walking side by side on their way back from another team meeting. Rapunzel was trailing along with them since she had, surprisingly, come to the meeting as well. Most likely, Flynn had given her some sort of special permission since she wasn't part of the team, but she refused to admit it.

"Know what?" Anna asked, completely oblivious to what was going on at the moment having been lost in her own thoughts.

"About the team party?"

"Uh…I may or may not have mentioned that Elsa told me about it. Why?" Anna was slightly confused as to why Kristoff was asking. They had just talked about it in the meeting, after all. It was going to be held the Friday before break, on the Arendelle property, of course. And, being her crazy self, Anna could only grin at the thought.

"I'm leaving early for break," Kristoff said, "If I had known…"

"Wait, what?" Anna whipped her head around to meet his gaze with wide eyes, "You didn't tell me this."

"Sorry," Kristoff said, shoving his hands in his pockets, "I didn't think it would be a big deal. My parents decided that they wanted to take a trip since this is the first year our break is so long. And they booked the flight for that Friday morning since I don't have any finals."

" _Why_?" Anna groaned.

"Sorry," Kristoff apologized again.

Anna sighed, and then, half joking and half serious, she complained, "Who am I going to go with! And how in the world am I going to get there!"

And she instantly regretted saying it.

Because Kristoff immediately suggested, "Ask Elsa."

And while Anna hadn't yet told her roommate _everything_ that she had told her best friend, she was almost positive that Rapunzel had come to her own conclusions. Rapunzel's face broke out into a large grin, "That would be so perfect, Anna!"

Oh, yes. Rapunzel had _definitely_ come to her own conclusions.

Anna had the urge to hide her face behind her hands, but all she managed to mumble was, "Elsa said she never goes to them."

"Just ask," Kristoff said, "The worst she can say is no."

"I _know_ she's going to say no," Anna said, "I mean what am I supposed to do, just walk into the office on Sunday night and say, 'Hey, Elsa, want to go to the party with me even though you pointedly said you never go to them?' No. Then I'll just sound inconsiderate."

Rapunzel laughed, "Who said anything about being inconsiderate? You're just being friendly."

But the way her roommate mouthed the word 'friendly' again, mainly to Kristoff, while adding air quotes around the word, caused Anna's face to burn slightly, "Okay, first things first—we'd be going as _friends_. And second, I haven't even asked her yet!"

This only caused Rapunzel to laugh harder, "Defending it only makes what you're refusing to say more true."

Anna shot Kristoff a look that clearly said— _help me!_ —but he only said, "She has a point there."

"You two are impossible," Anna muttered.

"I'm going to ask Elsa for you if you don't," Rapunzel declared.

Anna sighed, knowing very well that her roommate would, "Okay. _Fine_. I'll think about it."

But somewhere inside, she already knew what she was going to do. Because it was one thing to deny the comments of her friends…and another thing to deny what she knew she felt in her heart.

* * *

Anna's Friday morning shift at Starbucks was almost over.

 _Just ten more minutes, and then I can head back and sleep_ , Anna sighed as she watched the singular clock in the small coffee shop tick above the door. She thought back to two weeks ago when she'd looked at her schedule to find that she'd actually been given a day off for no reason at all. _It's a shame that day wasn't today so I could have stayed curled up in bed…wait…hold that thought…never mind!_

All feelings of tiredness suddenly flew out the window when Anna spotted a familiar platinum blonde braid at the end of the line of people that now had four customers instead of three.

Anna's boring, annoying morning just got a hundred times better, and she felt herself smiling instantly at the fact that Elsa had actually taken the invitation to come to Starbucks more often during Anna's shift. And this time, Anna was more than happy when she was the one to take the senior's order.

"So the same as last time?" Anna asked.

"Same as last time," Elsa confirmed with a smile.

And after Elsa had paid, Anna set to work, making sure to _intentionally_ add the chocolate to the iced coffee this time.

"Thanks," Elsa said, before taking her coffee from Anna's outstretched hand and heading over to one of the tables.

And of course, when Anna's shift was over—literally only ten minutes later—she found herself hurrying to sign out so that she could rush over to the table where Elsa was sitting and plop herself down in the chair opposite of the senior. Elsa's eyes snapped immediately upwards from her book when she noticed Anna sit down across from her, but if she was surprised at all by the redhead's spontaneous action, she didn't show it.

"Hey," Anna said (although a little belatedly for the current situation), "My shift is over. So…mind if I join you?"

"Not at all," Elsa said, closing her book that Anna could now see was physics related.

"Hey, don't you have class on Friday mornings anyway?" Anna asked, her question prompted by the book's cover. Then jokingly she added, "Don't tell me you skipped just to see me."

Elsa rolled her eyes, "Really, Anna, does that sound like something I'd do?"

Anna shrugged, "You never know."

Elsa chose to say nothing more about skipping classes, instead explaining, "My second class was cancelled. My last one doesn't start for half an hour."

"That's physics, right?"

Elsa only nodded, leaving Anna with nothing else to say.

As silence fell across their secluded corner table, Anna began to wonder if she should take this opportunity to ask Elsa about the party. She had originally planned on asking the senior on Sunday after her shift at the barn, but she had been worrying about it in the back of her mind ever since she had talked about it with Kristoff and Rapunzel. Not to mention that the sooner she got a definite answer from Elsa, the sooner Rapunzel would stop threatening to intervene.

The party was a week away. Exactly.

Was it too early to ask?

And what if the answer was 'no' and everything just got more awkward?

"Hey," Elsa's words brought Anna out of her thoughts, "You okay there?"

Anna blinked once and said, "Oh, yeah. I'm fine. I was just…thinking."

Elsa looked at her expectantly.

 _Wrong thing to say, Anna. Wrong thing to say_.

"It's nothing," Anna said, trying to forget the whole thing.

"Clearly something's bothering you," Elsa said, and it if weren't for her nervousness at what exactly _was_ bothering her, Anna would have found the senior's concern much more endearing.

Anna sighed.

It was now or never.

"Well, I wouldn't say _bothering_ me, exactly," Anna said. She paused, taking a breath, but knew that if she didn't get it out now, she might never have the nerve to ask, "I know you said that you don't go to the team parties. But I was wondering…if maybe you'd go with me?"

But as soon as she registered the fact that the blonde's eyes were wide, Anna immediately launched into another (rambling) explanation, "I mean, as friends of course! And you don't have to go. I know it's probably silly of me to ask, because you said that you don't. I don't want to make you do something you're not comfortable doing," Anna took another breath before finishing lamely, "And really even if you don't want to stay, all I need is a ride because Kristoff is going home early."

Elsa seemed to take a moment to let the redhead's rushed explanation sink in before she finally said anything. And in a tone that sounded slightly amused she asked, "So you're telling me you want me to drive all the way to campus to pick you up, just to drive you back to my house?"

"That was part of the request," Anna mumbled, "It's only five minutes."

Once more, Elsa didn't answer immediately—instead, seeming to deliberate Anna's request in its entirety. And Anna's heart seemed to race faster with every second that ticked by. Because, sure, she had told Elsa that they would be going as just friends. But…what would it really be to Anna if the senior said—

"Yes."

Now it was Anna's turn to be shocked, "What?" she asked, more out of astonishment than anything else.

"I said yes," Elsa repeated, "I'll…go with you. It might be a nice change."

"Really!?" Anna exclaimed, a part of her denying what she'd actually heard.

"Well, remember, half of the reason is because you need a ride," Elsa said, and although Anna couldn't tell if the senior was joking or not, for the moment, she was too elated to care. And after another minute, during which Anna had to fight to contain another ever-growing smile, Elsa said, "And now as much as I'd like to stay, I really do need to get back to campus."

"Oh, right. You have a class," Anna said, managing to come to her senses, "But my shift's over so I'm heading back, too."

"You can come then if you want," Elsa offered as she put her book away, "You know, since we're headed to the same place."

"That'd be great," Anna said, "Kristoff dropped me off this morning, so I'm sure he'll be happy about the fact that he won't have to come all the way back for me. I'll just send him a text."

When Elsa got up, Anna followed. But as her fingers flew quickly over the screen to send Kristoff a message, she wasn't looking where she was going. And of course, just for spite, she walked right into Elsa when the senior stopped to open the door, colliding into the blonde's backpack.

"Sorry," Anna said.

Elsa only sighed, not even bothering to turn around, "I don't understand how you've been around horses this long without landing yourself in a hospital."

"Well, you know," Anna started, Elsa's sarcastic comment reminding her of something that had actually happened, "There was this one time, it was probably the second year I was riding, and I didn't realize that there was a hose on the ground in the barn. And of course, because I'm me, I tripped over it. And I was leading this horse—he was huge, like a Clydesdale-draft cross or something like that, and he spooked at _everything_ , and so when he noticed that I almost went down, he freaked out. But instead of just spooking and shifting to the side like _most_ horses, he had to be even more dramatic and kick. And one of his lovely hooves hit me right in the leg. And I _almost_ ended up in the hospital after that one. Almost."

"I can imagine that would hurt," Elsa said, her tone serious, although the redhead could tell that she was trying to hold back a laugh.

"It's okay," Anna said, climbing into the car once they had reached it, "You can laugh at me."

"It's not funny. It could have been a lot worse."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But really. A _hose_ of all things. That's probably the most common tripping hazard in the barn—something that you'd think I'd pay a little more attention to, but _no_ …" Anna rolled her eyes.

But for the rest of the ride, Anna found herself telling Elsa all of the embarrassing stories she had from her old barn—from tripping over the hose, to knocking over an entire rack of saddles, to getting stuck in the mud while leading a horse and inevitably also falling into it—each embarrassing scenario eventually earning Anna a gradually larger laugh from the senior the crazier, yet less dangerous, the stories became.

And Anna found that she didn't mind sharing all of these memories (in which she sounded like a complete idiot) with Elsa. Even though they were stories that Anna normally avoided talking about, each one just seemed to slip more easily from her mouth than the next. And she wasn't exactly sure what had prompted her to even begin telling all of these stories at all. But if all it took was to share embarrassing moment after embarrassing moment…

Hearing Elsa's laugh definitely made everything worth it.

* * *

 **A/n:** I mean, we all have that one person who can make our boring, annoying morning/day/life better. Am I right?

But on another note, I'm sorry if this chapter seemed a little less cohesive than the other chapters—the order of events changed multiple times before I decided on something that chronologically made sense. Because funny story: I was all set to write the party in this chapter and then realized that it would have definitely felt rushed, considering the fact that Anna _just_ asked her. And having a rushed plot is something that I try to avoid at all costs. So...it's something to look forward to for the next chapter :)

And, as always, thanks for reading!


	16. Chapter 16

Come Wednesday, Anna found that she couldn't decide if she was more nervous or excited for the big event at the end of the week. Because the fact that she was going to the party with _Elsa_ …

 _But it's not a date_ , Anna reminded herself. _Not a date_.

And by showing up for her chemistry lab, she also found that she had quite a difficult time focusing on acid and base reactions when said blonde was her lab partner. Because while finals were now over, there was still one 'final' lab that the class was required to complete. It wasn't graded as a final, which Anna had been more than thrilled to hear (although with Elsa as a lab partner, there was no doubt that they could ace anything the professor threw at them). Instead, it was simply the last lab scheduled that happened to fall during the week of finals.

Initially, when Anna had seen it on the syllabus, she had been more upset about the fact that she'd wanted all the time she could possibly get to study for her actual finals. But when she realized that the finals for her other classes would be over and done with before that Wednesday even rolled around, what was once a worry just turned into a smaller annoyance of having to wake up at eight a.m. for one class. And, all in all, Anna found that she couldn't really deem _anything_ an annoyance when it meant she had an excuse to both see and talk to Elsa. And this lab provided her with the opportunity to do just that.

Well…that and get lost in her thoughts about the party that was now only two days away. Hence her lack of concentration. Because while Anna was off in her own little world…

"Anna. Hello?"

Anna finally found it within her to focus her attention on the blonde in front of her. How many times had Elsa said her name in the past minute?

"Hi…hi, me?" Anna asked, still bringing herself back to reality.

"Yeah. It's an expression. Like 'hello, earth to Anna'. Spacing out now is not going to get this lab finished."

"But we didn't even _start_ it yet," Anna complained.

"I started it," Elsa said pointedly, but Anna could tell that she wasn't mad. Just quite possibly amused.

"Okay, okay," Anna sighed, "What do you want me to do?"

"Can I trust you with the acid?"

"Uh…maybe?" Anna stated tentatively, knowing very well that it might not exactly be a great idea. But when Elsa pointed towards the container labeled 'HCl'—the hydrochloric acid—she knew that she couldn't just say that she didn't want to be the one to work with it. She followed Elsa's finger all the way to an empty lab station where all of the materials had been set out in one common area so that nothing ended up misplaced.

"We need five milliliters of that," Elsa said, "Go measure it out, and then we need it over here when you're finished."

Anna only nodded.

 _This is so not a good idea_ …

But while thoughts of warnings and worry clouded her mind, her hands seemed to move on their own. And this, Anna knew, was what got her into all of her clumsy situations in the first place—limbs moving on their own with no direction as her mind did anything but think rationally. But…

 _Focus, Anna. If you focus, maybe you can actually do this without destroying anything_.

Sighing, Anna carried the graduated cylinder that was already in her hand over to the other lab table. She picked up the bottle of hydrochloric acid, and very carefully poured it into the graduated cylinder. She held her breath the entire time, and didn't let it out until she had placed the bottle back down on the counter without any spills. And when she realized that she had accomplished this, she let a grin break out on her face. What had she been worrying about? That had been a piece of cake!

She picked the graduated cylinder up off of the counter, and began to head back to her own lab station, eager to show Elsa what she'd accomplished—no matter how small or simple the task. But when she looked up at the senior, who was now half way across the room, Anna just so happened to be met with the perfect view of Elsa's usual polo shirt and jeans wardrobe ensemble. And from there, of course, Anna's mind inadvertently jumped to none other than thoughts of the party.

Because polo shirts were _all_ Elsa usually wore. Yet could it be that, under certain circumstances outside of the usual, during other events besides school and everyday barn life (… _let's just say…a party, perhaps?_ ) Elsa might just wear something… _other_ than a polo shirt and jeans? Like maybe…

 _A dress?_

Just the thought was enough to make Anna stop in her tracks, her mind wandering almost instantly to that very scenario. But, as per her hand's ability to gain a mind of its own while her actual mind was consumed by thoughts she wasn't quite ready to give up, it was none other than the sound of shattering glass that could ground her once more.

It was a sound that effectively brought her back to reality much more quickly than anything else could have. And it was also a sound that drew the attention of the _entire_ class. Including Elsa's attention. And—

 _Oh, shit._

The _professor's_ attention.

So while Anna stood there with her face burning as bright at her hair, the professor decided not to make a huge scene out of it by cleaning it up in less than a minute and telling her that it wasn't a big deal. It was only a graduated cylinder—not a _buret_ , as he had pointedly added. Because a buret was no inexpensive piece of equipment; graduated cylinders were easily replaceable.

 _But pride,_ Anna thought as she dared to sneak a glance at a laughing Elsa, _is not_.

"It's okay," Elsa reassured her when another graduated cylinder with the proper amount of HCl (measured by the senior this time, of course) was safely at their lab station.

"Not really," Anna mumbled, her embarrassment refusing to let go.

"Well, I commend you for trying anyway," Elsa said, attempting to hide another laugh.

Anna let out an overly dramatic exasperated sigh, "You knew that was going to happen, didn't you?"

"No…but I guess I never should have trusted the girl who trips over hoses to carry something breakable," Elsa joked.

"Yeah, well…" Anna trailed off, "I really have nothing to say to that because it's absolutely true."

Elsa only rolled her eyes, "If you want the chance to redeem yourself though I _might_ let you pour the HCl into the buret. That should be fairly simple considering it only involves one countertop and no walking."

"You take your chances," Anna answered.

"No. You take _your_ chances," Elsa said pointedly, holding out the graduated cylinder.

Anna sighed. She still had the tiniest sliver of doubt in the back of her mind that some unpredicted, unprecedented _something_ could cause even this mediocre task to go awry. But only because it was Elsa holding that graduated cylinder so expectantly, Anna took the glass instrument with the dreaded HCl, and somehow managed to get the chemical into the buret without breaking anything else.

"Pride regained," Anna laughed as she placed the graduated cylinder back down on the counter.

And from there, the rest of the experiment seemed to go rather smoothly. They completed all of the required steps, and noted all the measurements and numbers before working on the last set of lab questions they'd been given to hand in at the end of class.

"Wait," Elsa said suddenly, putting her pencil down in the middle of writing out a complex equation that Anna was actually able to follow _and_ contribute to this time, "I need your number."

"What?" Anna asked, confused, "I just told you. We added 7.3 milliliters of HCl—"

"No," Elsa cut the redhead off with a laugh, "Not the number I told you to remember. I already have that written down. I meant your _phone_ number."

"Wait, what?" Anna asked, "Why?"

"Because if I'm picking you up on Friday night I'm going to need a way of reaching you," Elsa said, as if it were the most obvious answer in the word.

Anna's mouth formed a tiny 'o' shape, but she never really gave a response as Elsa pulled out her phone and placed it on the table in front of Anna. Tentatively, the redhead picked it up, fearing for a moment that she might drop it, too, getting lost in the thoughts of how she was _finally_ going to have Elsa's number. It was a thought that had passed her mind multiple times, yet it was one that she never really seemed to have acted upon. Because sure, she had the number of the phone down at the barn that she'd call if she would ever be running late to work, or if she would have to miss a day of work. But having Elsa's _actual_ number…was definitely something that could make Anna's day.

As soon as Anna was finished, she handed the phone in its ice blue case back to Elsa, who promptly typed something that resulted in the screen of Anna's phone lighting up only seconds later.

Anna read the words twice, before exclaiming, "'It's a good thing barn work doesn't involve chemical reactions'!? That's a little harsh, don't you think?"

"But it's true and you know it," Elsa said very matter-of-factly.

Anna only rolled her eyes, knowing that Elsa was joking, "Let's just finish these questions. I'm on a roll here."

"I've never seen you so excited for chemistry," Elsa laughed, "But I like it."

 _Guess I'll keep it up then_ , Anna thought as she moved closer to the paper (and Elsa) to read the next question, _because I like_ you.

* * *

What am I going to _wear_!?" Anna wailed, staring at her mess of a closet with a distressed look on her face.

"I told you not to wait until the last minute," Rapunzel chided, throwing in a sigh that made her roommate seem not unlike Anna's own mother in that very moment.

"Do I look like someone who gets things done ahead of time?" Anna grumbled.

"Well, no," Rapunzel said, "But that's beside the point. I need to go meet Flynn in about an hour, but I can help you pick something out I guess."

And Rapunzel did indeed have to go meet Flynn.

Because it was Friday night, the night of the party. And Rapunzel had been invited by Flynn.

Anna had been extremely excited for her roommate when she had heard the news. But of course, it also meant that Anna was going to be left by herself to get ready. And getting ready for parties was something that Anna wasn't used to. She didn't exactly _enjoy_ getting ready, either. She preferred to just throw something together and show up, hoping for the best. But now, of course, since she was going with Elsa ( _not a date, Anna, not a date_ ) she realized that her procrastination may just end up being detrimental.

"Do you know what time she's coming to pick you up?" Rapunzel asked.

"She gave me her number, so I assumed she'd text me. The party starts at eight, right?"

Rapunzel nodded, "Yeah."

That was in…two hours.

Anna groaned. It would normally be plenty of time, but now she wasn't so sure.

"Don't worry," Rapunzel said, her tone positive, "With my help, we can accomplish anything."

"Someone's a bit conceited," Anna joked, "Because with your help we usually end up taking twice as long to accomplish anything."

"That's with _schoolwork_ ," Rapunzel said pointedly, rolling her eyes, "But come on, we're wasting time, and by the look of your closet, your lack of organization skills will definitely make our job ten times harder."

At this, Anna only laughed. She couldn't argue with that.

* * *

Despite Anna's small amount of skepticism, by the time Rapunzel had to leave, Anna was nearly finished.

With her roommate's help, she had decided on a purple short sleeve shirt that was off the shoulder and had a simple pattern around the hem and sleeves that had always reminded Anna of rosemaling—Rapunzel insisted that it brought out her eyes. When Anna had told her that that didn't matter, her roommate only laughed. But once she'd gotten past Rapunzel's relentless teasing, she'd managed to piece together the rest of what she thought was an adequate enough outfit by pairing the shirt with dark jeans and black flats.

Anna had also considered wearing a dress, but she knew by now that it was definitely a casual party. And as much as the thought disappointed her, she didn't really think that Elsa would be wearing a dress (like her previous impromptu thoughts had suggested in the middle of chem lab).

 _Not that it matters_ , Anna reminded herself.

"I'll see you at the party then," Rapunzel said, grabbing her bag and heading out the door.

Anna waved after her roommate, "Thanks again for your help."

"Not a problem," Rapunzel answered with a smile.

And while Anna waited the next half an hour in anticipation, it was the buzz from the phone that she was anxiously fussing with that caused her heart to beat just a little bit faster.

 _Hey, I'm here. In the main parking lot._

The text made her smile instantaneously. Because…

 _Yeah, Elsa definitely seems like the kind of person who texts in complete sentences._

Anna's fingers flew across her phone in her eagerness to get out the door:

 _I'm on my way_

Placing her phone in her pocket she looked once more in the mirror, tucking a stray strand of red hair behind her ear in the process. She wasn't used to leaving it down, but Elsa had said before that she should wear it down more often.

 _And so that, I fully intend on doing_ , Anna thought as she walked across campus.

Much to Anna's surprise, it had decided to stop snowing that night, and so the sidewalk was clear as she made her way to the parking lot. Elsa's silver car wasn't hard to see either. The senior had parked in the front of the lot, and kept the headlights on.

"Hey," Anna said, after she had gotten in the car and shut the door behind her.

"Hi," Elsa returned the greeting, waiting for Anna to have her seatbelt _completely_ on before putting the car in reverse.

 _Okay. So now what do I say to her?_ Anna momentarily panicked. _It's not a date. But what if this is just awkward? Because I'm awkward...wait, let's not go there again. We've already established this. I'm awkward, and she's gorgeous._

Filling the silence normally would have been so simple for Anna, had it been anyone else in the seat next to her. But it instead it was Elsa who broke through Anna's thoughts, and the quiet between them, "So I know I already told you that I don't usually go to these parties, but…" Unexpectedly, Elsa actually trailed off without finishing her sentence. And although the senior's eyes were focused on the road, Anna could tell even without looking at Elsa that something was bothering her.

"But what?" Anna asked, prompting Elsa to finish.

Elsa only shook her head, in an attempt to dismiss her prior thought, "Never mind. It doesn't really matter."

"It does matter," Anna insisted, "What's wrong?"

Elsa sighed. But after a few seconds of silence, the senior admitted, "I haven't really been to any party. Ever."

"That's okay," Anna said, hoping her words sounded reassuring, "I've never been to a college party before."

"So you're telling me neither of us have any clue what to expect?"

Anna shrugged, although she wasn't sure that Elsa could see it, "Kristoff always says to just roll with it. So that's what I plan on doing."

"That's easy for someone with socialization skills."

"Hey, don't say it like that!" Anna protested, "You know almost all of the people who are going to be there."

In the amount of time that it had taken Anna to finish her statement, they had arrived at the farm and Elsa had parked the car. It always amazed Anna how quickly they could get there when the means of transportation was anything but her bike or her own two feet. But…that wasn't something to focus on at the moment. Instead, she turned her attention back towards Elsa, waiting for the senior's response.

"I know," Elsa shrugged, addressing Anna's reasoning, "But it's not like I ever talk to them."

"Hey," Anna said. And something in the tone of her voice—probably the seriousness that she'd subconsciously assumed in her efforts to get the senior to _really_ listen to her—caused the senior to look up and into Anna's eyes instead of down at the steering wheel, "I'm going to be right here with you, all right?"

Elsa held the redhead's gaze for a moment longer before nodding slowly, "Okay."

But after that, it seemed that this sudden, rather odd display of emotion from the senior made Anna unsure of what to do next. She bit her lower lip, not knowing what else to say. But a moment later, Elsa turned her head, taking the keys out of the ignition and deciding, "Let's head in. Before I change my mind and turn around."

And just like that, the moment—or whatever it had been—passed.

"Oh, no. I'm not letting you change your mind!" Anna exclaimed, "You're going to this party if I have to drag you there!"

"Really, Anna, that won't be necessary," Elsa laughed as she got out of the car. But when she shut the door behind her and walked around the back of the car to meet Anna…Anna's brain momentarily stopped functioning.

Forget walking. All her brain could manage to do was come up with the phrase: _well damn_.

Because Elsa was wearing a dress.

A freaking _dress_.

Anna hadn't realized in the car because she'd been too anxious over what to say, and then too preoccupied with trying to reassure Elsa. But now, that dress—and the gorgeous girl wearing it—was in plain sight.

It had two thin straps, although one was hidden behind that perfect platinum blonde braid, and came just to the top of the senior's knees. Elsa was also wearing a pair of silver flats, but Anna's eyes only lingered on those for a brief moment. Because that dress…it really was something. It was so simple—a solid royal blue. But the way it brought out the senior's eyes, and how it seemed to accentuate Elsa in all of the right places…

"Anna."

"Hm?" Anna said, vaguely aware that she had just been spoken to.

Elsa, clearly trying to hold back laugh, pointed over Anna's shoulder, "The house is that way. Which would require you to turn around. And walk."

"Walk. Right," Anna said, face heating at the senior's words.

Without further instruction, Anna spun on her heels, with Elsa following after her. And they walked in silence up to the house, although Anna had been almost entirely positive that Elsa was going to tease her about everything that had just transpired. When the senior didn't, Anna just chalked it up to the fact that Elsa was probably still nervous about the party. And that was only okay with Anna in the sense that she didn't want to make a fool out of herself a second time. Because really, could she be any more obvious? They were supposed to be here as friends. Just. Friends.

But it seemed that it was going to take her brain a lot of convincing to even _remember_ that.

All thoughts of her awkwardness, however, were long gone when get finally got inside the house. The place was complete chaos already, and Anna felt the senior seem to almost stiffen beside her. Team members were laughing, shouting, and dancing. Music was blaring, and red cups were already visible in nearly everyone's hands.

"Well, I daresay I expected this from Flynn. But certainly not Merida or Mulan," Elsa sighed, clearly rethinking her parents' trusting of the team captains to 'maintain order'.

Anna nudged Elsa's shoulder with her own, "Oh, lighten up. We're here, so you're going to have some fun, okay?"

And Anna had been about to add to that statement when suddenly and without any warning, Flynn ran across the room from where he had been standing with Rapunzel and a few other teammates. Thoughts no doubt racing will all of the different things that the extremely enthusiastic junior could do to either of them at that very moment, Elsa started, "Whatever you have in mind, I don't think—"

But before she could even finish her statement, with a wide grin and a mischievous look in his eyes, Flynn took his free hand (the one without the cup) and dragged Elsa into the middle of the living room, despite the senior's continued protests. Once the two of them were the center of attention, Flynn exclaimed, "Elsa's home!"

And the whole room erupted into a series of excited whoops and cheers.

Clearly, Flynn had already had plenty to drink, and while he stood in the center of the room holding Elsa's hand in the air like she'd just won a gold medal, the senior looked like she wanted to die of embarrassment. Anna had to fight to keep back the torrent of laughs that were threatening to spill out of her mouth, instead biting her lip to hold them in as she marched over to where Flynn was.

"Sorry, Flynn," Anna said, pulling a now rather grateful looking Elsa away from the center of the room, "We can make a dramatic entrance all by ourselves, thank you."

Flynn threw his hands in the air, "What? No, of _course_ you need me to—"

At this point, Anna was drowning out what the junior was saying, more amused than annoyed. She turned to Rapunzel and said, "Seriously, keep your boyfriend under control."

Rapunzel gave her an incredulous look, eyes wide, "What!? We're not…I mean, we're just…"

"Yeah, sure," Anna grinned.

Payback was _wonderful_.

Ignoring the vast array of looks she got from her other teammates, Anna led Elsa into the kitchen where there were slightly less people, still not daring to laugh about the entire situation in front of the senior. And when she turned to face Elsa, she could see that beneath the light dusting of freckles that she had, her face was still a deep shade of red.

"And this is what you consider to be _fun_?" Elsa asked, but one corner of her mouth was turned upwards slightly, so Anna knew that the senior wasn't entirely upset.

"Hey, it's no big deal. And see, they like you. You have nothing to worry about. So...just let go for one night and have some real fun. It'll be better when you get to talk to everyone, you know, let people in for a little bit. Let them get to know you. You'll thank me later," Anna said, with a blatant certainty present in her voice.

"Will I?" Elsa's response still held a hint of doubt.

"Of course," Anna grinned, "Now let's find some food. I'm _starving_."

"It's my house, Anna. If you want food I can just get you whatever you want," Elsa pointed out with a laugh, her uncertainty dissolving a little more with each word.

"Well _yeah_ , but they ordered pizza," Anna turned as she talked, giving Elsa no choice but to follow, "And I know you definitely don't want anyone else going through your refrigerator when they find out that I have special privileges."

"Who said anything about special privileges?" Elsa shot back.

"No one," Anna said simply. But then with a devious smile that earned her a joking glare from the senior she added, "But I _do_ believe that it was very much implied."

* * *

Two hours later, however, Elsa certainly _was_ doubting the redhead's statement, while Anna couldn't even remember what it was that she had said.

"Come dance with us," Anna pleaded for the tenth time, after downing one of her God-knew-how-many drinks.

"I don't dance," Elsa said pointedly, as the redhead sat down next to her on the sofa.

Elsa had been sitting there for most of the night, and Anna was growing increasingly more frustrated with the fact that she wouldn't participate in _anything_.

"So you won't drink with us, and you won't dance with us. You're no fun," Anna pouted.

Elsa sighed, merely repeating the answer she'd given the first time, "I don't dance, Anna."

"You dance with horses."

"What?"

"You dance with horses," Anna repeated. Because while she'd clearly had a lot to drink, she was surprised by the fact that she was still fairly responsive to questions. She'd been drunk only two times prior in her life (tonight was definitely going to be the third), and so knowing what she remembered of her non-sober state, this was a record for retaining some amount of sanity.

"No, I heard what you said. But what in the world do you _mean_?" Elsa clarified.

"Oh," Anna said, "Dressage. Horse dancing. You dance with horses."

It made _perfect_ sense.

In Anna's mind.

"Okay," Elsa said slowly, "I think I get it. But really, that's not even true."

"Of course it's true," Anna argued.

Elsa bit her lip, as if holding back a laugh, "Yeah, and you'd say that about absolutely _anything_ at the moment."

"So why isn't it true, then?" Anna challenged, although a distant voice in the back of her mind reminded her that it really _wasn't_ entirely true, what with the way Elsa kept such a strong hold on the reins no matter what.

"Because…" Elsa paused before continuing again in a much lower voice, so quietly that Anna could barely hear it over the raging music, "I really can't. Especially with Lance. All he does is fight me. I'll never be able to work with him. Especially when I can barely work with Legacy."

Anna contemplated the senior's statement for all of three seconds before an idea came to her. An idea that she also contemplated for all of three seconds (if not less). She barely knew what she was doing—all she knew that was she'd definitely had too much to drink. Yet her new idea sounded absolutely _wonderful_. So in a rush of putting her cup down and flying up from the sofa, she exclaimed, "Come on!"

And then she grabbed Elsa's hand, and dragged her away from the party and out of the house.

"Anna, where are we going?" Elsa asked, but she didn't pull back or protest; she simply followed Anna, who didn't let go of her hand until they had reached the barn.

Ignoring the blonde's small groan, Anna burst into the barn with just as much enthusiasm than she'd had in the house, despite all of the out-of-place elements that her mind was explicitly ignoring. Which began with the obvious fact that Anna wasn't wearing boots. In fact, she was barely wearing anything suitable to ride in at all. But she ran right to Lance's stall, haltering the tall black horse and leading him out without a lead rope before Elsa could tell her otherwise.

Of course, knowing that this horse was insane and crazy, a lead rope _probably_ would have been a good idea. But Anna, not thinking clearly at all, just barely managed to get the gelding to the arena, Elsa silently following.

And it was only when Anna walked Lance over to the mounting block that Elsa spoke again.

"You're not even wearing a helmet."

"Pshh," Anna tossed her hand to the side, "I'm going to show you how this horse needs to be handled."

And…that was definitely _very_ forward of her.

Even for having one too many drinks.

Holding the horse still, Anna swung onto his back and walked him forward, her hands gripping the thick black mane at the base of the gelding's neck. She couldn't even believe that Elsa was letting her do this; letting her _talk_ to her like this. Because sure, Anna had hinted at it before. And sure, Elsa herself had admitted that Anna was right. But still…

" _This_ is how he needs to be worked. And _this_ is how you need to ride. Not yanking and pulling back every time a horse does something wrong— _any_ horse, whether it's Legacy or not. Especially with Lance. Do you see how he's not fighting me? How calm he is now? You need to _let him go_."

Anna couldn't believe that such coherent, sincere sentences were coming from her mouth.

But they had been bottled up inside of her for so long, they just _had_ to come out.

And Elsa—Elsa said _nothing_.

She only folded her arms, one of her hands playing with the tip of her perfect braid. And her beautiful blue eyes that read nothing but amazement at Anna's actions, framed by slightly raised eyebrows, followed Anna all the way around the arena.

Without really giving it much thought—although Anna really hadn't given a thought to _anything_ during these past five minutes—she asked Lance to trot. But in doing so, she instantly realized that, out of all of the not-so-smart decisions she had made this evening, this was probably among the worst of them. Because what she had forgotten was that this horse was the definition of uncomfortable and _bouncy_. And without the stability and balance of a quiet rider, an inexperienced and devious horse like Lance was definitely going to take the opportunity to break into speed and gallop away.

"Anna, so help me— If you fall off of that horse _again_ —"

 _Too late_ , Anna thought, as she felt herself slipping to the side.

Had Anna had a clear mind and been able to see straight, she may have been able to mange to stay on and get Lance back under control.

But her mind was spinning, and all she saw was Elsa.

Elsa.

 _Elsa_.

Coming closer and closer as Lance barreled forward.

And usually, the words that went through Anna's mind when she fell were thoughts of 'oh crap', or any other phrase capable enough of replacing it.

But instead, she thought something else, and the word came out of her mouth instead of staying inside.

"Catch!" she cried, when she could hold on no longer.

And she slipped completely sideways, right in front of Elsa, who immediately put her arms out to try to steady Anna's fall. But she could only manage to catch Anna by the shoulders, as Anna had succeeded in falling forward onto Lance's neck before falling _off_ of the horse. And neither of them were prepared for the impact that Anna would have. So even though Elsa tried to remain standing—and hold Anna upright in the process—the two of them were suddenly falling backwards, right into the sand of the arena.

It took Anna all of two seconds to realize that she was sitting practically on Elsa's lap, looking down at the blonde senior who had now propped herself up on her elbows, staring right back at Anna with an expression her eyes that Anna had never seen in them before.

And Anna was way too disoriented to attempt to figure out what in the world it was.

But she wasn't disoriented enough to realize that she probably shouldn't remain quite exactly where she was sitting, as much as she would have liked to stay there for a few seconds longer.

So instead, she awkwardly rolled over, put her legs all the way out, and crossed them over one another. She leaned back on her elbows so that her head reached just above Elsa's shoulder, mirroring the senior's posture, yet remaining close enough so that their legs still touched.

"That was like a crazy trust exercise," Anna mused aloud.

But Elsa said nothing in return.

Instead, the senior's attention seemed to have already shifted to something else; transfixed on one thing.

Lance.

The gelding was prancing around the far side of the arena, seemingly without a care in the world.

He held his head tall, parading around the long end of the arena at a trot, and then breaking into a canter once he turned. He passed the outside door of the arena, where the moon shone in and cast a single ray of light, and when his three-beat pattern carried him magnificently past it, the light danced as it was contorted for a split second by each of Lance's pitch black legs.

And then Lance was dancing all on his own.

Truly dancing, keeping his neck arched and carrying himself majestically through the same pattern.

And for a brief moment, Anna realized that if Lance changed directions, or grew tired of circling, he might run them right over.

But Anna wasn't going to break this moment...because Lance was beautiful.

This amazing creature, so wild at heart, and crazy, and distant, and shut out, was… _beautiful_ , letting his spirit run free.

Almost as beautiful as the person sitting next to her.

Remembering where she was, Anna vowed that she wouldn't let this opportunity go; she was going to take a chance—to become closer to Elsa than she ever had been before.

And so, heart pounding, Anna moved her head ever so slightly, and rested it against Elsa's shoulder.

At first it grew rigid, beneath Anna's head, and then it just seemed to relax. Elsa seemed to relax; to let her guard down—let out a breath than Anna didn't even realize that the senior had been holding.

No.

Elsa was nothing like that magnificent horse.

She was beautifuller.

Well, not _fuller_ , but more beautiful.

Beautiful- _er_.

Was that even a word?

Anna felt that shoulder shift then, suddenly, as she heard a small laugh from somewhere slightly above her line of sight, "Only if you want it to be."

And Anna didn't exactly know what Elsa was referring to with her sudden comment, but she didn't want to ruin the moment by asking. So she just sat there, reveling in the presence that was Elsa; the odd and pleasantly surprising _warmth_ that was Elsa, so much different from her normal icy composure.

The beauty that was Elsa, letting Anna in like she never had before.

* * *

 **A/n:** Hi there :)

I know it's been close to two months, but I hope the events of the chapter made up for the long wait. This semester really made it impossible to update, and I barely had any time to breathe. But fortunately I have a bit of a break now.

I actually don't have much to say about the actual chapter at the moment, except that it was pretty fun to come up with all of the 'not-so-smart' things that Anna could do on horseback that would inevitably cause a huge mess and literally force her to be closer to Elsa. Though my disclaimer is, and will always be, to always wear a helmet. (And it would probably be beneficial for _all_ parties involved to only get on a horse while sober...just saying...)

But on another note, if it interests any of you at all, dressage really is considered horse dancing sometimes. There are actually freestyle dressage routines where you ride a pattern to music and they're insanely cool to watch.

That's all for now though, so as always, thanks for reading!


	17. Chapter 17

When Anna woke up, she was greeted with the sight of the back of a sofa.

And a horribly blinding light.

Squinting against the brightness, she wondered why she heard horses whinnying.

Maybe she was still dreaming. Yes, that had to be it. She had been dreaming that she was at the barn, and had ridden Lance without a saddle for some reason. Without a bridle, too. And was Elsa there? Maybe she was…

"Good afternoon, Anna."

...or maybe this wasn't a dream.

Anna rolled over, but as soon as she shifted her position, a rather awful feeling settled in her stomach. It took all of her efforts to hold back a groan as she took in her surroundings—the upstairs lounge at none other than Arendelle Riding Academy. And Elsa, who was currently standing by the side of the sofa.

"It's about time you got up," Elsa said.

"Ugh, what time is it? How long was I asleep?" Anna asked.

"It's one. PM. And as far as how _long_ you were asleep, I could only manage to carry you up here by midnight."

"Wait, really?" Anna asked.

"Yes," Elsa confirmed.

"No, like, you had to _carry_ me up here?" Anna clarified, face already burning.

"Well, if you want to be technical about it, no. But I consider having to hold you up and keep you standing close enough to carrying you."

"Oh," Anna's face was crimson now, she was sure of it, "And how much of a fool did I make of myself last night? Honest, I really didn't plan on drinking. Was I annoying? Oh, who am I kidding, I _know_ I was a pain. But please, please tell me I didn't do anything too stupid?"

Elsa sighed, "Well, you spent the entire night trying to get me to dance. And drink. And then you tell me if you consider getting on a maniac project horse bareback and bridleless _without a helmet_ , to be a stupid idea?"

Well, now that Elsa mentioned it, it did seem a little more familiar than just a dream…

"Um," Anna grinned sheepishly, "It seemed like a good idea at the time."

"Not to mention the fact that you kept blabbering away about who knew what all the time I was trying to _catch_ Lance, which only succeeded in making him all antsy and nervous. And trying to get him back in his stall while simultaneously trying to keep you from letting the rest of the horses loose because you wanted to go ride out on some quest to find your sister—who I'm fairly certain doesn't even _exist_ —wasn't exactly a task I'd call easy," Elsa continued, mouth now pressed into a thin line and arms crossed.

Now _that_ part Anna couldn't remember at all.

"Yeah, no, I don't have a sister," Anna offered meekly, "So I honestly have no explanation for that one."

While Elsa stood there shaking her head disapprovingly (yes, Anna felt quite like a reprimanded and ashamed child at the moment), the redhead desperately tried to remember the events where her mind when blank. But her hazy memory left off after…

"Oh, right. And before all of that I fell. And I…uh…landed on you. And then…then I don't really remember anything else."

"Well, you're right. That definitely happened," Elsa said.

And Anna didn't know quite how to respond after that.

She was still on the sofa, the senior standing above her. And although the features of Elsa face showed that she was most definitely upset about what had happened, all Anna saw were two beautiful blue eyes that she could get lost in all afternoon.

 _Stupid thoughts. Stop staring at her and start apologizing_.

Anna sighed, "I'm sorry. I screwed it up, I guess. No, I don't guess. I _know_ I screwed it up. I'm a complete mess."

"Hey," Elsa said, her voice softening as she dropped her arms to her sides, "You don't have to apologize for anything. I was just…worried, that's all."

The senior's comment caused Anna to hesitate momentarily before saying, "You were?"

"Well, it's not every day that I get to watch an intoxicated person attempt to ride an insane horse," Elsa shrugged, looking down at the floor rather than at Anna, "And it… _you_ …scared me."

"Oh," Anna said, feeling ten times more horrible about what had happened than she had before, "Well, then I'm definitely still sorry."

"I already said you don't have to be sorry," Elsa told her, "And besides, there's something else I need to say to you, anyway."

"Which is?" Anna questioned.

"Thanks."

Anna looked at Elsa for a moment, attempting to understand what the senior meant. But she couldn't think of anything, "Okay, I'm confused."

Elsa sighed, "I know you probably don't remember. But one of the first things you said to me last night was that I should let go for a night. And you said it would be better when I let people in for a little bit. That I'd thank you later."

"So then…you did?" Anna asked.

Elsa drew in a breath, but smiled slightly before she said, "Yeah. Kind of."

"And…was it better?" Anna asked hesitantly.

Elsa seemed to contemplate the question for a moment. But she nodded her head as she spoke, sounding completely confident, although Anna still couldn't put her finger on what had happened to make the senior answer that way, "Yes. Yes, it definitely was."

* * *

Anna found herself in the main parking lot of the college campus only half an hour later. Elsa had driven her back to campus after Anna had finally found the strength to walk again (which of course was after a necessary trip to the nearest bathroom, a borrowed change of clothes, and a makeshift meal that Elsa insisted she had to at least _attempt_ to swallow before going anywhere else).

And yet, sitting there in the car with the senior, in a silence that was actually more peaceful than uncomfortable, the events of the morning and the few that she could remember from the night before slowly melted away. Because instead, they were suddenly replaced with the realization that this was most likely the last time she was going to see the senior before they came back from winter break. Which meant no more chem lab—she'd certainly gone out with a bang (or a crash, really) with that one.

The only time Anna would get to see Elsa in the spring semester would be for wrk, or whenever else she'd be at the barn for her lessons.

Holding back the disappointed sigh that almost escaped, Anna instead attempted to sound a little more cheery, "Well…" she said finally, "Thanks for the ride. And…thanks for going to the party with me. Even though I totally understand if you don't want to go to a party with me ever again. I know _I_ wouldn't want to go to a party with me ever again if that was the case—"

Elsa cut Anna off with a laugh, "Okay, this experience may have ruined me for ever going to a party again. _But_ …if the opportunity ever arises and you _promise_ to not go as crazy, I might make an exception."

Anna's whole face lit up, pure elation replacing any of her previous disappointment about the spring semester, "Really!?"

"I said _might_ ," Elsa reminded her.

"Good enough for me," Anna grinned.

The two were silent again after that, neither exactly sure of what to say next. Or, at least, _Anna_ didn't know what to say next. But instead of having to come up with something, Elsa surprised her by speaking first, "So I guess I'll…see you after winter break?"

Anna nodded, "Yeah. A whole month of lots of sleep, no work, and no school."

 _And no Elsa._

"Thursdays and Sundays will definitely be much less eventful around here," Elsa offered Anna a small smile.

Was that the senior's way of saying she was going to…miss Anna's company?

Anna merely gave a small shrug, "Is Kai filling in for me?"

Elsa nodded, "Yeah."

"Just make sure he gives Dee some extra attention," Anna instructed, thinking of the little chestnut mare who she was definitely going to miss as well.

"Kai's got enough to worry about as it is," Elsa said, "But I wouldn't mind."

Anna smiled. Although in the moment it may have seemed silly, it really did mean a lot to her, "Thanks."

A few more awkward seconds passed in which Anna didn't know what she should be doing or saying. Should she just open the door and get out? Say a quick goodbye and leave? Maybe she would have if Elsa had had her attention on anything else. Normally, when things got awkward between the two of them Elsa's gaze would shift toward her hands; out the window; _anywhere_ besides Anna. But Elsa just seemed to be staring at her—not quite in the way that Anna had many times before—but, Anna hoped, maybe in a slightly similar way.

"I didn't really get the chance to tell you last night, but you looked nice," Elsa paused then, one hand flying to the end of her braid in a rather unusual display of nervousness, "Sorry. That's an awkward thing to say, I guess. Because you _still_ look nice. I mean, you always look nice. But…" Elsa trailed off, ducking her head, "God, I sound like you now."

Anna bit her lip to keep from laughing. Elsa was adorable when she was rambling—and even better yet, when she was rambling about Anna.

"Thank you," Anna said finally, but then continued, "You looked nice too."

 _Not to mention the fact that I already told her she was freaking gorgeous that one day whether I meant to or not, and that she's caught me staring more times than I can count._

At Anna's comment, Elsa's face seemed to flush slightly, although Anna regarded that as something that she _herself_ would have done. It seemed as though, for an entire minute, they had switched places. But the moment passed when Elsa regained her composure, echoed Anna's thank you, and followed it with something along the lines of the fact that she had to get back to the house and make sure that everything had been cleaned up and put back in order.

"Okay," Anna said, as she got out of the car, "I'll see you after break then."

Elsa gave a small wave before turning out of the parking lot, and Anna didn't start walking back to her dorm room until the silver car was out of sight.

 _Well, that was_ quite _an eventful night. And morning_ , Anna though as she headed for her building.

It hadn't been a date…but it had definitely felt like one. Especially with the giddy feeling she now had. And despite the fact that she _knew_ she had nearly made a complete disaster of the night.

When Anna walked into her room, all springy steps and smiling, Rapunzel only laughed, "Was your date _that_ much fun?"

"Not a date," Anna said, her voice a little too cheery.

Rapunzel rolled her eyes, "Well when the two of you _disappeared_ —"

Anna spun on her heels, quick to defend the _certain_ implications of Rapunzel's statement, "We were _at the barn_. Nothing happened."

This only made Rapunzel laugh harder, "I was just joking. Sheesh. Where's Kristoff to calm you down when you need him? And really, what in the world were you doing at the _barn_?"

At this, Anna sat down on her bed with a sigh, "Long story."

"Oh, please. Do tell," Rapunzel ordered, plopping herself down next to Anna.

"I may or may not have had a _little_ too much to drink," Anna said.

"Well, I was there for _that_. But continue."

"And I thought it would be a great idea to go down to the barn and try to show Elsa how Lance—this project horse—needed to be worked," Anna said, "Which…may or may not have ended with me falling off of the horse."

"I can see that you make brilliant decisions while under the influence," Rapunzel grinned jokingly.

"Oh, shut up," Anna said, "It was only the third time."

" _Only_ the third?" Rapunzel laughed.

"Yes."

"What, falling off a horse, or being drunk?"

Anna glared, even though she knew her roommate was still only teasing her, "I think you know the answer to that question. But look, it doesn't matter anymore. What matters now is that I need to finish packing. My parents are coming to get me tomorrow, and while you're completely ready to leave, my side of the room looks like a tornado went through it."

Rapunzel sighed, "Okay, fine. I'll help you."

"Did someone say they need help?"

Both girls turned their heads at the same time, to find none other than Olaf standing in the open doorway. Their fellow freshman certainly had a habit of sticking his nose in other people's business—intentionally or not, though Anna wholeheartedly believed that he had only the best intentions in mind. And an open door was far from a deterrence for Olaf. It was merely an invitation to enter with a only small announcement of arrival.

"Uh, not exactly—" Anna started.

But Rapunzel, taking one look at the mess of Anna's side of the room, cut Anna off and said, "If you're free, we'd _love_ some help."

Anna rolled her eyes. She actually didn't mind Olaf helping, but really, did Rapunzel not trust that the two of them could finish this together? Did Rapunzel really think her side of the room was _that_ much of a mess that it would take three people to finish the task?

But when Anna turned around to assess the cluttered desk, her tiny closet with most of the clothing half on and half off of hangers, the large pile of clothes in a heap by her bed that she'd set aside to fold a few nights ago, and who knew what else _under_ her bed, she realized that maybe…they couldn't finish in time with only the two of them working at it.

"What do you need me to do?" Olaf asked.

"I say we start by folding clothes," Anna decided.

"Agreed," Rapunzel said.

"But really," Anna warned jokingly, "I hope you know what you're signing up for here. I claim no responsibility if you get swallowed by a pile of clothing or trip over a shoe."

Rapunzel only rolled her eyes, and Olaf laughed. But with three people helping and three very different voices to make it all the more interesting, Anna had a feeling that cleaning this mess wouldn't be too horrible after all.

* * *

Two hours, four packed boxes, and a very _odd_ conversation later, the three were sitting on the floor, much too tired from cleaning (and also, most likely, the party and all of its still subtly present side effects) to move another muscle.

"What even _is_ the meaning of pre-calc, anyway?" Rapunzel laughed, "I mean, yes, we suffered through it this semester. But in the long run, is it even going to _do_ anything for me?"

"Well, it might. Or it might not," Olaf said, "But maybe…that's just the meaning of life."

"What?" both Anna and Rapunzel said together, looking at their fellow freshman sideways.

"Just what I said, maybe that's the meaning of life," Olaf repeated, looking very content with his answer.

"Do you always talk in riddles like this?" Rapunzel asked.

"Yeah, why?" Olaf asked.

"And people just accept it without questioning it?" Anna asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"And they understand without getting _frustrated_ by it!?" Rapunzel exclaimed, but she was laughing. And so was Olaf.

"Yeah, why?"

Olaf could act like such a child sometimes, but it struck the two girls funny. Or at least, Anna thought it was funny. And she also thought that it was so peculiar that, even though Olaf sometimes acted much younger than his age, he seemed to know things—important _moral_ things—that not a single college student would normally take into consideration.

"Why!?" Olaf repeated again, "Why all the questions?"

"Because we have no idea where that came from!" Rapunzel laughed.

"What, the meaning of life?" Olaf asked.

Anna and Rapunzel nodded their heads in unison.

"And what it has to do with pre-calc," Anna added.

"Oh," Olaf said cheerily, unbothered by their blatant confusion and seeming to genuinely want to explain himself and help them understand, "They relate because maybe obscure things matter even more than we realize. Maybe even the simplest things that we find useless—or that we take for granted—will end up giving our lives meaning by becoming more important to us than we ever could have imagined."

"Huh," Anna said, taking Olaf's words into consideration. Because these ideas, or musings, or _whatever_ they were…actually had Anna quite intrigued. And they didn't just apply only to the terrible pre-calculus class they had all suffered through—Olaf was only using the one example to get to the bigger picture. So maybe what he was saying really was true. Because she had never thought about it like that before.

"Okay then, philosopher," Rapunzel crossed her arms jokingly, "If you're so good at this, then do you have a theory for the meaning of _everything_?"

Olaf shrugged, "I don't know. Pick a topic—I'm willing to try."

Rapunzel's look of pure thought told Anna that her roommate was actually interested in coming up with a challenge, "What's the meaning of love. What _is_ love?"

Anna watched as Olaf contemplated the question for a moment. And the response that he came up with was one that neither Anna nor Rapunzel ever would have guessed, "Love is…putting someone else's needs before your own."

And no matter how long Anna thought about Olaf's statement, she couldn't really figure out what it meant.

At least, not when she'd only first heard it.

But she couldn't figure out what it meant before Olaf abruptly stood and said he was late for a last minute meeting.

And she couldn't figure out what it meant before she fell asleep.

She couldn't figure out what it meant before breakfast the next morning, or before Rapunzel left at noon, or even before she had all of the boxes in the back of her family's old SUV.

And she _still_ couldn't figure out what it meant until an hour later—in the middle of the ride home.

 _Love is…putting someone else's needs before your own._

Like maybe how…Elsa had agreed to go to the party with Anna even though she was clearly terrified of going. Like how Elsa had _actually_ tried to catch Anna when she had fallen off of Lance, even if it ended with both of them landing in the dirt. Like how Elsa had spent the _entire_ night—and morning—making sure that Anna was okay, when she could have just sent Anna back off to her dorm room.

So then did that mean…did Elsa…love her?

No.

There was no way _that_ was true. Because love was…a whole other, larger entity itself, right? More than just a crush, or saying that she _liked_ someone. And there was no way that Elsa felt the same about Anna as Anna felt about Elsa.

But…Elsa _cared_ about her. That much Anna was certain of. Especially now that the senior had admitted that what had happened the night of the party had worried her more than it had annoyed her.

And remembering all of this, the seemingly distant events from two nights ago, the events had had previously seemed so foggy, somehow became more vivid.

Like that one comment…what was it again? It was on the tip of her tongue. Right there in the back of her mind, but slightly out of reach…

 _Only if you want it to be_.

There.

That's what it was.

Anna had compared Elsa to Lance. She had thought—and definitely _said_ without realizing it—that Elsa was 'beautifuller'.

Because it wasn't a word.

 _Only if you want it to be_.

Anna could only smile thinking about that. Sure, she hadn't meant to say it. But still—it was no wonder that Elsa had been flustered in the car yesterday morning. She must have definitely remembered that. And now it was Anna's face that was flushing.

She had only said it because Elsa had let her in…

 _Oh._

Realization hit Anna suddenly. _Now_ she understood what Elsa had said to her yesterday—how the senior had thanked her, said that she had let go and let people in.

 _Kind of_.

Kind of, meaning that it wasn't just _anyone_ that Elsa had let in. It was _Anna_ who Elsa had let closer; closer than Anna had ever been to the senior before. Letting Anna sit there, next to Elsa, with her head on the senior's shoulder.

And if she continued to analyze the conversation they'd had earlier, she remembered that she had asked Elsa if it had been better. If it had been better to let go, and let her in instead of keeping her at a distance—if it had been better to close the gap between them, even if it was only for the smallest of moments. And Elsa had answered…

 _Yes, it definitely was._

* * *

 **A/n:** Okay, so I realize that this was very short compared to the other chapters. And it's because I didn't leave very much to put in this chapter since their winter break is right around the corner. I didn't want to dive right into the spring semester, so I guess I should have planned it out a little better. And maybe everything in this chapter would have been better off at the end of the previous chapter. But I knew before that I didn't want all of that in there because I really wanted the previous chapter to end where it did. And it also it would have made that chapter really, really long. So I guess maybe…consider this a chapter 16 part 2? Or just a really short chapter 17? Your choice.

Anyway, I promise that the next chapter will be much longer. And I can say that for a fact because I'm already in the process of writing it :)

And also—not sure if I mentioned this before but bareback as it relates to horses just means riding without a saddle.

Thanks for reading!


	18. Chapter 18

Winter break had actually come and gone in a blink, much to Anna's surprise. She had spent most of it relaxing—thoroughly enjoying the fact that for four and a half weeks, she didn't have to juggle schoolwork and two jobs. And the best part was that she got spend time with Chip.

But she now found herself once again in the car, on the way back to her college campus. She'd already received a text from Rapunzel that said that her roommate had already moved back into their dorm room. And honestly, while Anna had enjoyed being home and seeing her parents, she found that she missed almost everything about her new (well, not so new anymore) college life, and the people and the horses she'd met within it. It was her second home, it seemed.

Her jobs came with the territory, of course…but at least she could say she was looking forward to working at Arendelle Riding Academy again. The horses always brightened her day, as did Elsa. Though she really didn't know how she was going to be able to deal with seeing Elsa only two days a week.

She hadn't talked to the senior at all over break, even though she had her number. The last time they had spoken was the day after the party. And Anna could only smile remembering that night. It was something that she had been thinking about all winter break.

Well, really, it was _Elsa_ she couldn't stop thinking about all winter break…

They had to drive past the barn on the way to the campus, and Anna saw the familiar polished sign that read _Arendelle Riding Academy_ in blue lettering. She craned her neck when the car stopped at a red light to see the horses in the front field that were visible from the street. There was Dee, tossing her head and galloping about while Splash attempted to chase her down. And there was Legacy by the gate, where Elsa was removing the Arabian's leather halter, giving the mare a final pat before turning Legacy loose. Legacy took off running in the direction of Dee and Splash, giving two small bucks and whinnying to her fellow pasture mates.

 _It's so good to be back_ , Anna thought, smiling to herself.

And she couldn't wait for her first opportunity to get down to the barn. Anna's work schedule and riding schedule were still pretty much the same, but the fact that she didn't start again at Starbucks until next week was a pleasant surprise.

 _So maybe I'll go down to the barn after I put everything away and reorganize my room,_ Anna figured as her parents' car pulled into the parking lot.

With a little help from her parents, the three of them were able to carry all of Anna's belongings to her dorm room in one trip, and after saying a quick goodbye to both of them, she began unpacking some of the boxes. And in the middle of doing so, she heard the door open, and turned around to see her roommate walk in. Immediately, she dropped everything (or at least she was forced to, anyway), as Rapunzel attacked her with the largest hug ever.

"I never thought I'd say this," Rapunzel said, "But I _totally_ missed having a roommate all break."

Anna laughed, "I _guess_ I'll take that to be a good thing."

Rapunzel only grinned, but continued on, "I mean, having a room all to myself felt so _empty_."

"No, I know exactly what you mean," Anna said, shoving one of the boxes aside so that she could sit down on her bed, "How was your break?"

"It was nice," Rapunzel said, "My parents and I went to Corona—it's a beach where we used to live when I was younger. We moved before I started elementary school; not sure if I mentioned that or not before…But anyway, we normally spend our summers there now, but they surprised me by taking me there for a week. How was yours? Did you do anything exciting?"

Anna shrugged, "Not really. I mean, the best thing was that I spent a lot of time with Chip—you know, my old lease horse. I think he was happy to see me. I know I was happy to see him. And I was able to catch up with Kristoff when he got back from his vacation…which reminds me, have you seen him?"

Rapunzel thought for a moment before saying, "He may have been in the dining hall. I just ran down there to get something to eat."

"Maybe I'll stop by and say hi," Anna mused aloud, "Because I want to head down to the barn in a little bit."

Rapunzel grinned widely, "Oh, yeah. A whole winter break without seeing Elsa. I'm surprised you managed."

"Why are you so mean to me," Anna muttered jokingly, but returned the joust by saying, "But I bet you were keeping Flynn hostage with your hour long phone conversations."

"We didn't talk for _that_ long," Rapunzel said.

Anna only rolled her eyes.

"Before you go, though, what do you think about me cutting my hair?"

"Wait, what!?" It was certainly the most random question in the moment, and also the most perplexing, "Why?"

But Rapunzel only said, "Flynn convinced me to take riding lessons, but I'm pretty sure that it'll be a little difficult to ride a horse if I'm practically sitting on my hair."

"Point taken," Anna said, assessing her roommate's hair in its current state, "I guess I could see it short. But you must really like him if you're going to cut you hair just so you can take riding lessons."

Rapunzel shrugged, "I mean, I've let it grow out for years. And even I have to admit, it really can be a pain sometimes."

"And how, may I ask, did he even convince you to take riding lessons in the first place? I thought you weren't a fan of the whole 'barn' thing."

"Oh," Rapunzel said, grinning sheepishly, "You see, we made a bet that if I could guess his middle name, he would have to try out to be the school's mascot next year. But if I couldn't guess his middle name, then I would have to take riding lessons."

"And you think I'm strange," Anna shook her head teasingly, but she let it go without questioning it, instead focusing on something else that she'd _much_ rather know the answer to: "So what's his middle name?"

"Well you see," Rapunzel started, "He was technically cheating the whole time. Because his middle name is Flynn."

"What?" Anna asked.

"Yeah," Rapunzel said, "I know. All this time he's been going by his middle name. His first name is Eugene—but…just don't tell anyone else that I told you! I assume he doesn't want everyone to know."

Anna only laughed, "I won't."

But honestly, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't picture the insane team captain as Eugene.

* * *

After saying a quick hello to Kristoff and grabbing a bagel on her way out of the dining hall, Anna pulled her jacket closer as she walked down to the barn. She didn't want to bother Kristoff for a ride, and couldn't bring her bike because it was still the end of January, and snow was still lingering on the ground. Anna didn't mind the walk, though. It was all of fifteen minutes—only a little longer than it was going to take her to walk to her new math class on a daily basis, so she was going to have to get used to walking longer distances eventually.

Anna made her way up the long driveway, stopping at the font pasture to say hello to Dee, who had stuck her head over the fence when she had seen Anna arrive.

"Hey, girl. Did you miss me?" Anna asked, laughing as the chestnut mare tried to take the rest of her bagel from her hand, "That's not for you, sorry. I'm sure you've had plenty to eat all day."

Turning away from the field, Anna walked the rest of the way past the house, and around to the barn, where the horses inside greeted her with familiar whinnies. But Anna didn't want to waste any more time—she had one destination, and she wanted to get there as quickly as possible.

As it turned out, though, Anna didn't even need to go all the way to the office before she found Elsa, who was in the middle of the aisle, no doubt fixing up the lesson board for tomorrow's schedule. Before Anna had even made it within earshot of the senior, Elsa had turned at the sound of footsteps, and Anna could have sworn that the blonde's face lit up the slightest bit when she saw that it was Anna.

"Hey," Elsa said with a smile.

"Hi," Anna replied, giving a small wave. But then a tiny spark of uncertainty settled like nerves in her stomach as she realized with dread that she didn't know what else to say. She hadn't seen the senior in almost a month…hadn't _talked_ to Elsa in almost a month.

 _Please, please, please don't let me revert back to being an awkward person who lacks communication skills_ , Anna thought while she willed her mind to cooperate.

"So what brings you down here? Don't you still work on Thursdays and Sundays?" Elsa asked, turning back to the board.

Anna only shrugged, although the blonde couldn't necessarily see it, "Yeah, but I thought I'd stop by to see the horses. And…to see you. You know, since it's been a month and all…"

 _Really, Anna? Now you just sound attached—_

"It has been a while, hasn't it," Elsa mused aloud, cutting off Anna's train of thought. Elsa still had her back turned to Anna when she continued to speak, her voice sounding somewhat distant, "You'd be surprised. A lot has changed."

"What do you mean?" Anna asked.

Elsa shrugged, "Well, not a _lot_ has really changed. But to me it's a big deal, I guess."

"Well…" Anna started tentatively, "What is it?"

"My parents…sold Lance."

"Wait, already?" Anna was confused, "Why?"

"When they came back from Germany and saw that I'd done virtually nothing with him, and that I hadn't made any progress with him, they decided that he was too much for me to handle. And they wanted to sell him while he was still worth at least what they'd paid for him—before he would be 'of less value'," when Elsa spoke the last phrase, she sounded more disgusted than upset.

"Oh," Anna said, "I'm sorry."

"I guess in the long run it might be beneficial. Now I can focus all of my time on Legacy. And we'll be able to go farther in a shorter amount of time…" Elsa trailed off.

"Well, that's a great thing, isn't it?" Anna said, always one to look on the bright side.

"Yes…and no," Elsa answered.

Once again, Anna was confused, "I really don't see how that's a bad thing. You just said yourself that it's beneficial."

"It's good for _Legacy_. She'll be able to learn a lot more now that I'm solely focused on her but…" Elsa trailed off once more looking to the marker in her hand instead of at Anna, "You know what, never mind. It's nothing."

 _Oh, no. You don't get to just start telling me something and then keep it from me. I may not have seen you for a month but that doesn't mean that you get to go back to closing yourself off._

"It's not nothing," Anna said, her tone serious, "Clearly it's bothering you. And I'm here to listen. You can tell me."

 _Anything_.

Elsa sighed, bringing her blue eyes to meet Anna's once more, "I don't want to lose her."

At Elsa's sudden confession, Anna was slightly shocked. She needed a moment to let everything sink in—to realize what exactly Elsa was talking about, but then she understood, and simply said, "Oh."

"If I spend all of my time with Legacy, and put all of my effort into training her…she'll be sold in a matter of months. And I don't really know why, but she means a lot to me. Even though we don't _exactly_ get along. She's the only training project I've worked with longer than a semester, and I honestly feel like once we get past the problem at the canter, we could be a fairly good team. She's a wonderful horse, with so much potential, and I _want_ to be able to continue to train her. I want to be the one to continue to show her. I just…I really _, really_ don't want to lose her," Elsa finished, her voice no more than a whisper, a small tear in the corner of one eye threatening to fall.

 _Wow_ , Anna thought _, she really does care about that horse_.

"Well," Anna said eventually (as she really wasn't sure _what_ to say to that at all), "Have you ever thought about asking you parents to…you know…keep her?"

Elsa shrugged, "I've given it some thought. But I don't think I ever could. They'd only say no."

"But how would you know unless you try?" Anna asked, but as soon as the question was out of her mouth, she had the urge to face-palm.

 _God, could you be any more cliché?_

Elsa only shook her head, and the words she spoke next were ones laden with bitterness and resent, "They've taken every single horse I've ever worked with away from me—what would make this time any different?"

Anna really had no answer for the senior, but before she could come up with even a decent response, Elsa said, "But for the time being, I have to do what I have to do. My parents are here for a week and a half before they're heading out again to God knows where, and if they don't see that I have at least a decent _plan_ for Legacy's training while they're here, they'll ship her off as quickly as they sold Lance. So…" Elsa trailed off again. But she continued to look Anna in the eye when she spoke again, although her words came out slightly unsure, "I'm kind of glad you came down here, because…I wanted to ask you something."

"Oh," Anna said, slightly surprised, "Okay, what is it?"

"I was wondering if you'd be willing to…help me with Legacy."

"You—you want me to help _train_ her?" Anna asked incredulously.

"Yeah," Elsa said, "I was hoping that you'd be able to start by helping me with my…uh…problem, I guess. Because it's certainly not helping anything."

 _Pulling on the reins. Having too much control_ , Anna thought, _an easily identified problem…but also one that's not as easily fixed._

"I…yeah…I think I can do that," Anna stammered, still amazed that the senior had come to _her_ of all people for help, "When do you want to start?"

"I'd prefer it to be after my parents left. Not that I don't want them to think I'm getting help because, really, I couldn't care less if they knew. Actually, I'll probably tell them before they leave, and that way they can _see_ that I have a better plan with Legacy than I had with Lance. But I just…don't like to ride when they're around. It's inevitable, I guess, because they want to see my current progress with Legacy before they leave again. But I can't stand them being around when I'm working on training," Elsa explained.

"How come?" Anna said, and then added quickly, "If you don't mind me asking."

Anna was pleased when the senior didn't hesitate to answer her question, "It just makes me uncomfortable. They're constantly critiquing, scrutinizing, _waiting_ for me to mess up. I know it seems ridiculous—that's how all horse shows work, with judging and whatnot but…It's different. It's like…I'm still that perfect little girl who longs for their approval. There's the constant need to live up to their standards—their standards that have suddenly become _my_ standards. And I'm not so sure that I _want_ them to be my standards anymore."

Anna only nodded her head, "That's understandable. And believe me, I couldn't agree more. Seeing horses as profit and profit alone isn't the way I'd approach the business. Even if it is a somewhat common opinion."

Elsa shrugged, "Well, until the business is completely mine, there's nothing I can do about it."

"But there _is_ ," Anna argued.

"How?" Elsa asked.

"If you can convince your parents to let you keep Legacy, that's a step in the right direction. If you can show them how much she means to you—if you can convince them that she's worth more than just money…it'll be a start."

While Anna was dead set in her opinion, Elsa looked away, unable to meet the redhead's determined gaze, "Or I'll try to do that, and then they'll sell her in the blink of an eye because they don't want me to think that way."

Anna sighed. That was a fair point—as much as Anna hated to admit it to herself. And although the senior had looked away, Anna could see that the single tear that had appeared in Elsa's eye before had once again returned. But this time, it fell. And as it slid half way down the senior's face, Anna knew that it betrayed everything that defined Elsa's life. Showing emotion—emotion that went far beyond actions and words.

And without really thinking, Anna reached out with her left hand, and brushed the tear gently way from Elsa's face. The senior flinched slightly at the contact, but Anna didn't retract her hand until Elsa had relaxed. And when she did, Anna said, "Elsa, look at me."

It took a moment, but the senior's gaze once again shifted to Anna's own, and Anna continued with a surge of confidence, "I know how it feels to care about something. And I know how it feels when it seems as though that one thing that you care about is going to be ripped away from you at any given second. And I am _not_ going to let your parents take Legacy away from you. We're going to train that horse—make the two of you the best team out there. And I don't care how long it takes. We're not going to give up until Legacy is rightfully yours. Got it?"

 _Because I care about you. So much._

The nod that Elsa gave her was one that was barely visible. She just looked so upset, and deflated…and Anna didn't like that. At all. And so, again without really thinking, Anna reached over to Elsa, and wrapped her arms around the senior in a hug. And if Anna had thought that Elsa had only flinched at her touched before, well now Elsa had gone completely rigid.

"What are you doing?" Elsa asked, but the words seemed to come out almost absentmindedly, as Anna could see—no _feel_ —that most of the senior's effort was focused on trying to relax.

"Giving you a hug, what do you think I'm doing?" Anna replied, "You know, it's supposed to make people feel better? Relieve stress?"… _show someone how much you care about them_..."Or my personal favorite—make up for the crazy insanity of life. Is it working?"

"Believe me," Elsa was laughing now, the tension completely gone from her body, "It's working wonders."

* * *

When Anna went to the lesson board the following night and saw that she had been assigned to Dee, she couldn't have been more pleased. Anna took her time grooming the chestnut mare, spending as much quality time with the horse as she could. She really _had_ missed Dee a lot more than she had let on yesterday, and even slipped the mare a carrot before tacking up.

"Not that this gives you any excuse to be nosy and pushy for the lesson," Anna reminded Dee as the chestnut chewed her carrot.

Anna made a quick trip to the tack room, bringing everything down at once. And after saddling and bridling, she headed into the arena and found that she was the first one there. Weselton hadn't arrived yet, but Anna knew his policy by now—get on and start warming up; waste no time. She was a little nervous to find out what the Weasel had in store for them today. There was no doubt that he was going to push them hard after break. But Anna was up for a challenge, especially with Dee.

 _But the burn is real_ , Anna thought as she gritted her teeth against the slight pain she felt in her legs—legs that had been cramped and curled up on the sofa for the past four and a half weeks. And of course, it was no one's fault but Anna's own. Sure, she may have hopped on Chip bareback about twice. But the little Fjord pony couldn't be worked hard—a few laps of cantering around the arena was quite enough exercise for him for one day.

Shifting a bit in the saddle and readjusting her position, Anna figured she'd take Dee across the diagonal of the arena at a trot, just to make sure that the mare began the lesson listening to her signals and directions. And Anna was at first unsure that Dee would be attentive, considering that her own long (and much deserved) break had started even before Anna's winter break. But Anna realized that she had nothing to worry about when the mare bent easily in the direction Anna asked without any complaint.

Afterwards, she circled Dee and asked her to halt, right under the clock on the wall, so that Anna could see the time. If Anna was reading right, it seemed as though her lesson was now running ten minutes late, which was _never_ the case for the prompt, punctual instructor. Or her teammates. As she was looking upwards, though, the closing of the lounge door caught her attention, and a set of blue eyes met her gaze as Elsa walked from the door over to the railing above.

"Is the lesson cancelled today?" Anna asked, "Weselton's never late."

Elsa's face was serious, but her eyes crinkled slightly—a sure sign that the senior was amused, "And you're rarely early, but here you are, warming up twenty minutes before your lesson is supposed to start."

"But it starts at five," Anna said, "It always has."

"You didn't check your email, did you," Elsa concluded, laughing now.

"Uh…that may have been something that I forgot to do," Anna remembered, sighing, "Tell me the time changed."

"Five _thirty_ is when your lesson starts," Elsa said.

"Oh, well…then I have twenty minutes to do nothing. Yay," Anna sighed again, mentally slapping herself for forgetting to check her email.

 _Four_ _and a half weeks_ _off and you've already forgotten the simplest task of college existence._

"Well," Elsa said, "It's kind of pointless to just sit around and do nothing while Dee's already tacked up. And I'm sure she wouldn't appreciate just standing around in her stall with her saddle on."

"That's true. But what do you want me to do?" Anna asked.

Elsa shrugged, "I mean if you want, I don't see why I couldn't give you a lesson. I can just tell Weselton, and it's not like it'll be a problem with the team since it's only me and Weselton who report absences, anyway."

Anna's heart leapt at Elsa's suggestion. She would _love_ for Elsa to teach her lesson. But…she wasn't so sure that she would necessarily be able to _focus_ just on her riding, per se.

The uncertainly must have been visible on Anna's face, because Elsa spoke once more, "I mean, it's up to you. I know I don't jump, but a flat lesson here and there never anyone. Actually, it's probably better for you, easing back into it. Weselton probably wouldn't have you jumping all that much today, anyway."

"No, yeah, that sounds…great, actually," Anna said, "But where will we go? Because half way through…my…lesson, Olaf and Belle will need the indoor."

"We've got a second indoor, you know," Elsa said.

"Um…no. I don't know, actually. When did this happen?" Anna asked.

"We've always had it."

"You're telling me I've worked here for a whole semester and missed an _entire_ indoor arena?"

"It's behind the house. Separate from the barn. It was our old outdoor arena, but then we go it covered when we put in the new outdoor. So I guess it's kind of half indoor half outdoor, but it works. If you're up for it."

"I'm totally up for it," Anna said, "I'm sure it'll be much better than the torture that Weselton's going to put us through."

But as soon as the words were out of her mouth, she knew she shouldn't have said them at all. While Elsa's tone was teasing, she knew that the senior retained a hint of seriousness when she said, "I certainly hope you don't think I'm going to go easy on you."

In essence, this was now a challenge. And if Anna's legs hurt now, they were going to hurt like hell in an hour. But Anna had said before that she was up for any challenge, and so, a challenge she would accept.

"Bring it on," Anna said confidently.

Once Elsa met Anna and Dee in the arena, she said, "Just follow me. There's some snow on the ground, but Dee should be fine. There's no ice on the path to the house. And she was certainly fine galloping around in the field during turnout yesterday, so I don't think the snow bothers her."

"Clearly it doesn't bother you, either," Anna said, remembering Elsa's comment about the cold and noticing the senior's blue, short sleeve polo shirt, all while zipping her own jacket all the way up.

"Nope," Elsa answered.

The two walked in silence, Elsa close to Dee's shoulder. And in a moment when Anna had barely been paying attention—focusing more on watching Elsa walk than what was actually happening in front of her—Dee turned her head all the way in Elsa's direction and found it the opportune moment to let out a snort, which sent a lovely mix of snot, dirt, and something orange that was oddly reminiscent of carrot ( _oops!_ ) towards the senior.

Anna bit her lip to hold back a laugh.

"Why thank you, Dee," Elsa said, not even turning around, "You just earned Miss Summers an extra lap around the arena without stirrups."

Anna knew that she should be mad…but… _Miss Summers_ …

Anna was certain that the senior had only called her by her last name because that was how Weselton addressed his students. But the way it sounded coming from the senior's mouth replaced any thoughts of annoyance with thoughts of how surprisingly...pleasant it seemed.

 _Seriously? The only thing she does is call you by your last name, and it's a turn-on?_

"So do I get to call you Miss Arendelle, or…Weasel doesn't really fit into your name. Or your personality," Anna laughed.

"That's what you think _now_."

"Is that a _threat_ , Miss Arendelle?" Anna joked, making her own decisions. She rather liked the way the proper title sounded… _almost_ as much as she liked the way it sounded coming from Elsa.

Elsa simply shrugged, stopping in her tracks. And Anna was momentarily confused, but when she drew her attention from the senior to what was now in front of her, she realized that they had only stopped because they had already reached the "indoor". True to Elsa's word, it really was an outdoor arena—just covered on the top. The sides were pretty much open, and…

 _Dammit. No mirror_.

Now she couldn't look at her position to see if she was sitting right. Sure, she could tell if she was off center, and surely when she was off balance, but if Elsa was going to nit-pick every little detail—and Anna _knew_ she would—Anna would have at _least_ wanted the benefit of having a mirror. But, accepting the facts, she merely sighed, knowing that she would have no such luck.

Elsa opened the gate so that Anna could walk in with Dee. As she shut it behind her she said, "I want you to just walk Dee around the ring and get her used to it. She hasn't been out here for a while."

Anna gave a nod to indicate that she'd heard, and then headed to the rail. Elsa hadn't told her which way to go, so she went to the left (because it was her good side), and she let the mare examine the new surroundings while Anna herself assessed the arena. It was definitely smaller than the actual indoor, but that was to be expected. The railings were all white, and the only gate was the one they'd come in from. There were a few jumps sitting disassembled in one corner, but Elsa had said no jumping…so that wouldn't be a problem.

Oh, and there was a mounting block. That was always a good thing. Just in case Anna somehow managed to end up on her butt.

 _Again_ , she thought, remembering suddenly that the last time Elsa had instructed her (even though it wasn't a lesson), she had fallen off of Lance. _So let's hope we never need to_ use _said mounting block_.

"Does Dee seem to be okay?" Elsa asked.

It took a moment for Anna to see where Elsa was standing. She had expected the senior to be in the middle of the ring, but found Elsa to be leaning against the rail by the gate, both elbows bent and resting against the top rail, and the heel of one of her boots hooked over the bottom rail, while the other remained firmly planted on the ground. And that was surely going to drive Anna crazy if she didn't snap out of it.

 _Like now._

 _…_

 _Right now_.

" _Miss Summers_ , I asked you a question," Elsa stated, small smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"She's fine," Anna managed, her voice barely audible.

 _But I'm not…_

"Good. Then I want you to reverse at a faster walk. Dee's moving like she's half asleep, get her going."

 _Shit_.

So much for her good side. Elsa had seen right through that, hadn't she?

Anna turned Dee on the rail, and gave the mare a small nudge with her heels to get her to move faster. Anna knew that Dee didn't like the "in the middle" gaits, as Anna liked to refer to them. The springy mare preferred to either be a speed demon, or lazily slow—whichever best fit the mood she was in.

Luckily though, Dee seemed to be listening today, falling into the faster walk without must resistance.

"Okay. Now, have her trot. Nice and forward," Elsa instructed.

Anna sat back in the saddle and asked the mare for a trot, which Dee gladly obeyed. But Anna hadn't risen for more than two steps of the trot before Elsa called out, "Wrong diagonal. Switch it."

 _Like I said. It's my bad side for a reason_ , Anna thought, gritting her teeth.

Anna had gone two laps around the ring when Elsa said, "Sitting trot."

Dee was moving fairly quickly still, and Anna pulled her back slightly to go slower before sitting, knowing she'd just bounce all over the place in a highly unorganized manner if the mare kept up the springy pace.

"Change directions, across the diagonal," Elsa instructed.

And Dee was a saint as Anna directed her across the ring and through the turn.

"I want you to trot once around the arena, posting, and then halt Dee by the gate."

 _Okay_ , Anna thought, slightly confused. _But at least I'll pick up the right diagonal this time_ …

Anna did exactly as she was told before halting at the gate. Right in front of Elsa. When she shot the senior a confused look, all Elsa did was smile and push herself off of the railing with little effort— _stop staring. Seriously. Get a grip_ —and walk over to Anna. Without any warning at all, Elsa tapped the side of Anna's leg and said, "Take your foot out of the stirrup."

Anna was now ten times more confused as she was before, but she obeyed. And the longer she left her leg dangling, the longer Elsa seemed to stare at her expectantly.

"Yes?" Anna asked finally?

"How do you expect me to take off the stirrups if you keep your leg there?" Elsa asked, crossing her arms, "It doesn't seem very fair to Dee to have the stirrups banging against her sides if we're not going to use them at all after this."

"Oh, come on!" Anna exclaimed, "You said an extra _lap_ of work without stirrups, not the whole rest of the lesson!"

"I changed my mind. And I will not tolerate whining in my lessons, Miss Summers," Elsa said, her tone serious, "Now move your leg, or I'll do it for you."

 _Okay. That's not going to happen. I mean, it'd be perfectly fine with me. But not here. Nope. I'd lose it_.

Anna shifted her leg, and rested it on top of the saddle, sighing as she tried to mentally prepare herself for the torture to come.

After Elsa had taken both stirrups off the saddle, she walked to the middle of the ring, swinging the stirrup leathers absentmindedly back and forth in her hands, as she called, "I want to see a posting trot again. On the rail."

Anna sighed again, asking Dee to move forward, and readjusted her position in the saddle to fit Dee's movements.

"Keep your shoulders back. But your leg is slipping too far back, and that's causing your entire upper body to tip forward," Elsa said.

Anna knew that she couldn't be perfect all the time. But still, she'd barely made it past the long side of the arena before Elsa had corrected her position.

 _But you accepted the challenge, so grin and bear it_ , Anna reminded herself.

Anna fixed her shoulders easily, but her leg—that was a whole different story and Anna knew it. It had always been a problem of hers, and it seemed that it would continue to be that way.

"Sitting trot. Your shoulders are in a good position. Keep them there. But work on that leg," Elsa said.

Anna was trying to think of so many things at once—keeping her shoulders back, fixing her leg, keeping Dee slow enough, steering…staying in the saddle seemed to be the last thing on her mind.

 _But then again, that's a good thing. Nothing to distract you…well, not quite_ nothing _…but close enough_.

"And keep your elbows in. By your side. The last thing we want is them flapping around like a bird."

"And I thought the animal comparisons were a Weasel thing," Anna resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Didn't your parents ever teach you to mind your manners, Miss Summers?" Elsa asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Yes," Anna said indignantly, "Yes they did."

"Good. Then I want you to walk and change directions, and let Dee take a break for a minute."

"Wrong day to forget a water bottle," Anna sighed, her words only loud enough to be heard by Dee's ever attentive ears. She let the mare have long reins, and took a moment to stretch out her sore legs that were already screaming. Before they made it past the gate, Anna shrugged out of her jacket and tossed it onto the top railing of the gate before continuing on.

The whole time, Elsa hadn't left her position in the middle of the ring. And now those stirrup leathers were slung haphazardly over her shoulder as she walked around the center of the ring, and Anna wished she'd just put them down already—

 _Because doesn't she know how freaking attractive that looks?_

There had to be something wrong with her. First the whole thing with the last name, then the way the senior had been leaning on the gate, and now _stirrup leathers_? Anna had never let such simple things turn into...well, turn-ons. This whole experience was going to kill her; she was sure of it.

"I want you to get Dee moving again. Make sure she has your attention. I want to see a canter transition from the walk, and then back down to the trot. But I want to see each transition exactly when I ask for it. And when I say transition down to the trot, I mean the _trot_. No walking."

"Do I have to post when we trot?"

Elsa seemed to mull the question over before answering, "It would probably help Dee listen better. It would be easier for her to understand that you want her to keep trotting and not slow down, or go back to the canter…but it's your call. Got it?"

"Got it," Anna nodded, knowing very well that the senior was right. It would be easier on Anna to sit rather than post, but it would be easier to get the mare to listen if she posted.

 _Decisions, decisions_ , Anna thought. Because this was going to be a fun one. Lord only knew this horse loved to run…but to stop on a dime and remain at a trot?

That was going to be the real test.

Anna got the mare moving at a fast-paced walk once more, and the instant Elsa called, "Canter," Anna asked for the transition, which the headstrong mare responded to eagerly. She had forgotten just exactly how _fast_ Dee could go, and although Elsa called, "Sit back! Half halt her to slow her down," Anna found that she was already making those adjustments herself, instinctively.

Once she had gotten Dee under control, Elsa let Anna transition down to the trot, which the redhead initially sat, too tired to put up the fight with her legs to rise upwards without tipping over. But the mare who was still all too eager to run took off once more at the canter, and Elsa said, "What did I tell you? She thinks you still want to canter. You really do need to post after you transition. It'll encourage her to keep trotting."

Anna slowed the mare again, and, although her legs and every single muscle in her body told her otherwise, she somehow managed to keep herself posting. And Dee listened, staying at the trot until Elsa asked them to walk.

Anna resisted the urge to relax her legs out of position, but knew that she would be called out for it if she did. And after a few moments Elsa said, "Okay, you can change direction, and have one more canter. Nothing fancy with transitions. Just a canter, I don't care if it's from the walk or the trot. And I don't care if you come back down to the trot for a little bit, or go right to the walk. _But_ , I want a canter in two-point."

Anna gave Elsa the best death glare she could manage, "If I'm not jumping, you can't force me to do two-point canter _without stirrups_."

"Well, no, I can't _force_ you to. But I'm asking you to," Elsa said, looking up at Anna very, _very_ expectantly with those wide eyes that Anna swore she could get lost in for a good half an hour…

"Ugh _, fine_ ," Anna grumbled, picking up the reins, and transitioning to the canter before she could change her mind. She managed to get up into an adequate two-point position that didn't warrant _too_ much critique from the senior (although Anna was _positive_ it was because by this point, Elsa actually felt bad for her). Her legs gripped the saddle like there was no tomorrow, she prayed that she wouldn't slip, and through her gritted teeth came three words matching the beat of Dee's canter, "You…are… _horrible_."

"I'm glad you think that, Miss Summers. For that I should have you go around once more," Elsa grinned wickedly, " _But_ , because I'm nice, I'll let you be done with this one."

" _Thank_ you," Anna said once she had Dee walking again.

She let her aching legs hang all the way down to Dee's sides, not even caring that her toes were pointed down and her shoulders sagged slightly. That had been a _workout_. She gave the mare loose reins and pat on the neck for listening fairly well. When Dee was cooled off, Elsa said, "Are you ready to head back?"

Anna nodded, and then said, "But I left my jacket somewhere around here," while searching the arena to see where she had placed it.

 _I could have sworn I put it on the gate…_

"I have it," Elsa said, holding it out to Anna as the redhead walked Dee towards the senior.

"Thanks," Anna reached down to take her jacket from the senior's outstretched hands, "And…thanks for the lesson."

"You're welcome," Elsa said, "I'm glad you survived."

Anna rolled her eyes, "Very funny," but when Dee shied to the right when Anna managed to pull her jacket back on, and she was forced to get back into an adequate riding position in order to keep herself seated, she winced at the pain that shot through her left leg.

"Suddenly Weselton's lessons don't seem so tortuous after all, huh?"

Anna only groaned, making an overdramatic show of pretending to collapse onto Dee's neck, which only earned her a laugh from the senior.

 _You have no idea_.

* * *

 **A/n:** Hey there :)

So I know it's been about a little over a month again. I've been incredibly busy lately, and finding time to write has been a little difficult. As a result, this story may take me longer to complete than I had originally planned, but just know that I'm working on it whenever I can find the time. Maybe the length of this chapter will make up for the wait?

But as always, thanks for reading!


	19. Chapter 19

"So did you hear the news?"

"What news?" Anna asked, setting her breakfast down on the table and sitting in the empty chair next to Kristoff, "I haven't heard anything since the horrid blaring of my alarm clock at seven. Remind me again why I ever decided to come back?"

"Hilarious," Kristoff said dryly, "But seriously, did you hear about Hans?"

Anna shook her head, "No. What about him?"

"Apparently he transferred."

"No way!" Anna exclaimed, "But seriously, what the hell? He acts like he can take anything, but runs away from punishment, embarrassment, and shame."

Sure, she was glad that she would never have to see his horrible face again, but still, she was angry that he couldn't own up to the punishment and reputation that he had earned.

"It's just rumor that's flying around," Kristoff shrugged, "But...I haven't seen him anywhere, so I guess it's safe to say it's true. Elsa probably knows, though. I'm surprised she didn't say anything to you."

"Well, we did only just get back," Anna said.

"I know, but she didn't mention anything about it at the end of the semester?"

"Nope," Anna said, taking an overly large bite of her double chocolate chip pancake. Even though the dining hall food was slightly…subpar, the staff could at least put out an awesome variety of nearly edible food in the chocolate department, "But I can find out during work tomorrow. I'm not working tonight, thank goodness."

Her legs were so sore from her lesson that she could barely walk up—let alone down—her dorm building's stairs.

"Really?" Kristoff asked, "Never thought I'd hear you say that."

Anna punched him in the arm good naturedly, "It's bad enough I've got Rapunzel on my back about this whole 'crush' thing. You don't need to keep it up, too."

"Hey," Kristoff said, "I'm just happy that you're happy, okay? Things seem to be working out and improving between the two of you, so that's all that really matters to me."

Hearing those words from her best friend, Anna couldn't help but smile, "You really are the best."

"That's what I'm here for," Kristoff said, finishing the last of his breakfast. Carrots, of all things. Who ate vegetables with breakfast, anyway? But it was something that Anna had grown accustomed to—Kristoff had just as much of an affinity for carrots as Sven himself did. And, quite frankly, any other horse as well. But Kristoff spoke once more, dragging Anna out of her thoughts, "And I think that if we don't get moving, we're going to be late to biology, am I right?"

"We're going to be late, anyway," Anna said in all seriousness, "It's going to take me half an hour to climb the stairs."

"On second thought, maybe you should rethink your choice of potential people to date. Pain and agony doesn't really fall under the category of a healthy relationship," Kristoff joked, having heard all about Anna's insane lesson when he had come to pick her up from the barn.

Anna only shook her head incredulously, although slightly amused, "Seriously. You think you're funny, but you're not."

* * *

"Why didn't you tell me about Hans!?"

Anna was barely through the office doorway, and had barely caught her breath, before the question that had been nagging at her slipped out of her mouth.

"Well, hello to you, too," Elsa said, ending the statement as more of a question and looking up from her computer with a rather confused look on her face.

Anna offered the senior a sheepish smile, knowing very well that she jumped straight to the point when there was something she needed answered, "Sorry. Hi. It's just that…I really, _really_ want to know what happened."

"With what?"

"Hans. Kristoff told me he transferred, but you never even mentioned the situation after…" Anna trailed off, not knowing exactly how to reference their argument when the senior had blamed her for drugging Legacy. And so lamely, but most importantly _vaguely_ , she settled for, "...everything."

"Oh," Elsa said, "Well, it was kind of confidential since he was a student on campus. Not that I wouldn't have told you because you were involved—" Elsa caught her mistake and fixed it quickly, although it struck Anna funny that she herself was the one who normally didn't think before she spoke, yet it had been _Elsa_ who had mentioned the argument, "Or, no, you weren't _involved_ , that was a bad choice of words. You were only involved because I dragged you into it. Wrongfully. _But_ , regardless, I obviously told my parents what had happened once we found that evidence. And they could make the decision to involve the college or not. Clearly, the college would have been involved either way, because he wouldn't have been allowed to compete with the team, so they decided to involve the school, and he was going to be suspended. But then he transferred. And it's not like it's going to do him any good, he's still got everything on his record."

"Probably couldn't stand the embarrassment," Anna said bitterly, thinking about her discussion with Kristoff from the previous day.

"I'm sure," Elsa said. "He'd have earned himself quite the reputation, although I'm fairly positive that he already had many. But it's not our problem now. We already did what we could."

Anna nodded in agreement, but then a thought struck her, "So what's going to happen with the team, then? He was on the highest level of our competition team."

"We've never had something like this happen before, but I believe they'll just take one of the reserves to fill in for the rest of the season," Elsa explained, "It's what they're selected for."

"That makes sense. But I guess it'll kind of be a big change," Anna mused aloud, "And we've got a show coming up in less than three weeks."

"I'm sure you'll all be fine," Elsa said, "That is, if you can move again now that it's been almost forty eight hours."

"What, since my no-stirrup torture?" Anna shot back.

"Maybe," Elsa grinned, a small gleam in her eye.

"So I can blame you if I lose in my division," Anna said cheerily, "Excellent."

"More like, you're going to blame me for _winning_."

"Conceited, now, aren't we?" Anna chided jokingly.

"I do believe I was a _wonderful_ instructor," Elsa continued.

"Have you instructed anyone before my lesson?" Anna asked.

And, being a more legitimate question, the bantering died down and Elsa answered in a more serious tone, "On occasion. I wouldn't have offered if I didn't feel capable. Sometimes I fill in and teach the beginner or intermediate lessons. Although I'd consider yours borderline advanced. I'd teach the advanced lessons, too, but they obviously do more jumping than beginners."

"Have you…ever jumped before?" Anna asked, wondering if the senior would answer, "I mean, I know you don't jump now. Dressage is your thing…." Anna trailed off.

Elsa sighed, looking off to the side, where Anna followed the senior's gaze—right to that photo that Anna had seen the first time she was in the office, with the snow-white Fjord pony trotting across a winter scene.

"I used to," Elsa answered, her focus on the picture now rather than Anna, "But not anymore."

"Oh," was all Anna said, not wanting to pry further, although she was almost positive that the Fjord pony had _everything_ to do with Elsa's confession.

"But you're right. Dressage is my thing. It is now, and it always will be," Elsa declared, almost as if she needed to remind _herself_ that it was the truth.

Anna was silent for a few moments before saying, "Well, I guess I'd better get to work. Although, it might take me twice as long to get everything done."

"You're not serious, I hope," Elsa replied, looking at Anna expectantly.

"Who knows?" Anna shrugged, "I can just barely manage to drag myself around—how do you expect me to push a wheelbarrow?"

"I think you can manage," Elsa said.

"But what if I can't," Anna whined, not entirely sure what she was accomplishing by doing so.

"You don't strike me as someone who gives up before trying."

Anna considered Elsa's comment for a brief moment before saying, "Fine. I'll try. But don't kill me if I'm here till midnight, okay?"

"You can make yourself right at home in Lance's old stall. I'm sure it's nicer than the freshman dorms."

"Gladly," Anna answered, signing herself in and then walking back out the door.

 _Although I'd prefer to spend another night on the floor of your room instead of on the floor of a stall…_

* * *

True to her word, it had taken Anna longer to complete her job than usual, dragging it out to nine fifteen, even though on a good day she could normally accomplish everything by eight thirty. And surprisingly, Elsa was still in the office when she went to sign out.

"What are you still doing here?" Anna asked, "I thought you'd be long gone by now."

"Same here," Elsa shot back, but her tone was teasing.

Anna rolled her eyes, "Really, though. You're never down here this late."

Elsa shrugged, "I kind of spend as much time at the barn as I can when my parents are home. It's better than spending the whole length of dinner discussing the sales prices of horses and training and the brand new designer pony worth thousands of dollars that they want shipped in from France."  
Although Anna's thoughts momentarily began racing about said 'designer pony', what came out of her mouth was, "You mean you haven't even eaten dinner yet?"

"Haven't been up to the house since lunch," Elsa said, "And I don't plan on heading back until ten thirty. By then my parents will have finally made their way upstairs. And then I can eat a lovely combination of leftovers or whatever frozen meal is in the freezer in peace."

"But that's in an hour," Anna argued, "Come on, you've got to be hungry."

"Only a little."

"I was going to have Kristoff drop me off at the café on campus, considering I barely ate anything before I came down here. It's open literally all night—extra incentive for all those last minute cramming hours…." Anna trailed off here, not knowing where she was going with this little tangent when all she wanted to say was one simple suggestion, "Anyway, you could come, if you want,"

But as soon as the offer came out of her mouth, she suddenly grew more nervous—the sudden pounding of her heart increasing insanely quickly by the second—about what the invitation may or may not have implied.

Elsa's eyes locked on her own for a moment before the senior said, "Well, I wouldn't want Kristoff to have to drive me back."

"Oh," Anna said the second the senior finished her statement, trying not to sound disappointed.

"I wasn't finished talking, Anna."

"Oh," Anna repeated, but this time she couldn't keep the hopeful tone from accompanying it.

Elsa continued, "What I was _going_ to say was that I can just drive you back to campus. And sure, I'll come with you."

"Okay," Anna said, brightening instantaneously, "Sounds great."

Elsa didn't even bother putting away any of the papers on her desk, getting up from her chair and stretching— _do not be a creep and stare like you did last time, Anna. Control yourself for once_ —before swiping her keys off of the desk and saying, "Let's go."

Whether Elsa had remembered the incident that now had Anna's face turning the shade of a tomato, or whether the senior had done it _because_ she remembered how Anna had reacted the last time was now beside the point as the blonde brushed past where she stood in the doorway, leaving Anna to rush to sign out and follow Elsa out of the barn.

The air was cool when they stepped outside—cold enough to keep the snow on the ground from melting, but warm enough that Anna could tell that _maybe_ spring was almost on the way…

Oh, who was she kidding? Spring was nowhere close to the current late January month, but a little wishful thinking never hurt anyone. Maybe by next month the temperatures would rise a little, and then Anna wouldn't have to worry about wearing _two_ jackets to work.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Huh?" Anna asked, the senior's odd question drawing her out of her own thoughts.

"What are you thinking about?" Elsa repeated, "You're always so talkative but you seem….I don't know. Kind of distant."

 _You're one to talk_ , Anna wanted to say, but she held it back, instead answering, "The weather."

Elsa laughed, "The weather? That's random."

"Yeah, well it's currently freezing my poor, suffering body, so it seems relevant to me."

"Oh my God, Anna! You seriously can't still be in pain," and although Elsa's tone was primarily joking, Anna swore she heard a hint of concern.

So sighing, she figured that she might as well stop complaining about it, because really, her legs didn't hurt that much anymore, "Don't worry, I'm not. I just enjoy taking every opportune moment to remind you that it's your fault."

Elsa only shook her head as she got into the car, only speaking again once she had the silver car in drive, "You're doing a fairly good job of it."

"Sorry," Anna said, feeling slightly guilty, "But actually, I would definitely take another one of your lessons over Weselton's."

"I don't think that would go over to well with the team captains," Elsa said.

Since it was so late, there was barely any traffic at all, and by the time Anna got around to devising a plan of how she could "accidentally" come earlier for all of her lessons (to which Elsa only laughed and replied, "Good luck with that, but I don't think that'll work, either."), Elsa had parked the car in the lot closest to the café.

"Are you sure they're open all night?" Elsa asked when they stepped into the main campus building that was vacant except for the bright lights in the hallways.

"Positive," Anna said, "Their hot chocolate was the only thing that kept me from falling asleep at two a.m. during finals week."

When they reached the café, they found that it was also empty, apart from a student at a corner table with her laptop plugged into the wall, and a student worker at the counter who was busying himself with his phone. He looked up only when the two of them ordered—Anna a sandwich, and Elsa a salad, although Anna had caved, taking one look at the chocolate cake and adding a slice to her order.

They then made their way to a table by the window, even though looking out there was only the view of the parking lot filled with student cars.

"So," Anna said once they had started eating, "Tell me about this 'designer pony' that you mentioned."

"Did I mention that?" Elsa asked.

"Yeah," Anna said as she took another rather large bite of her sandwich, "When you were listing all of the things you didn't want to talk about with your parents."

"Oh," Elsa said, sounding a little surprised ( _funny she must have just let it slip without even thinking. That's a first, as far as telling me things_ ), "Well, there's nothing much to say, really. Just a fancy horse. I don't know her name—something elaborate and French probably. She's got a prestigious bloodline, from two world class jumpers. Hence the term 'designer'. And my parents think that with some dressage training, she'd make a valuable eventing horse."

"How old?" Anna asked.

"Three years. So clearly she doesn't have any training with jumping yet. That's not something that I would do, obviously. But if I started her in dressage, they could still sell her as an eventing prospect because of her bloodlines. Lord only knows they have the money to fool around with whatever they want…" Elsa trailed off.

"Is she a definite purchase?" Anna asked.

"No. But she'll be the most expensive endeavor yet," Elsa said, "It makes me a little nervous, actually. If they're really talking about trusting me with a freaking multiple thousand dollar horse, I don't want to screw it up, which is why I _really_ need to get through this problem with Legacy."

"Oh," Anna said, realizing now that there was possibly a lot more riding on her ability to help Elsa than just to train Legacy and help Elsa keep the Arabian mare, "Did they give you an option?"

Elsa shook her head, "They never do. Whatever project they decide to embark on gets thrown at me by default. They're willing to spend their money on expensive horses with possible potential, but not expensive, well-known trainers with way more potential than I have."

"Hey, you're doing well with Legacy so far. Even small steps are improvements," Anna argued, earning a small smile from the senior, "And besides, maybe they'll decide against it."

"Part of me really hopes so," Elsa sighed, "Not only is it more pressure, but…I really like working with Legacy. And so that part of me also irrationally hopes that my parents will _never_ buy another project horse so that I can continue to work with just Legacy."

"But…if you can convince them to let you keep her, then it wouldn't matter if they got another training project," Anna said, "Legacy would be here to stay, and you could work with her whenever you wanted."

"Right, but I actually have to get them to _agree_ to that, first," Elsa reminded her.

Anna nodded, "I know. When do you think they'd have the new horse shipped if they got her?"

"Probably sometime around the end of the semester. Or, well…after graduation. When I can focus more on my riding than schoolwork," Elsa figured.

"So why bother worrying about it now?" Anna said, "We'll just take it one step at a time, and focus on improving Legacy's training and keeping her here."

Anna was fully aware that she had said 'we', already identifying Legacy's training as a combined effort although they hadn't quite begun yet. And Elsa didn't seem to mind at all.

"You're right," she said, "Legacy is the main priority. Not a potential project horse that's half way across the world. Literally."

Elsa's comment made Anna laugh, although she couldn't help but notice the way the senior seemed to stare at her even though she was practically doubled over—it was late; of course the silliest little things were going to set her into a fit of laughter.

"Are you going to keep laughing, or are you going to finish that?" Elsa asked a minute or so later, an amused little smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth as she pointed in the direction of Anna's half-finished slice of chocolate cake.

"Of _course_ , I'm going to finish it!" Anna exclaimed, snapping out of it immediately.

Because no one— _no one_ —messed with Anna Summers' chocolate.

"So there's no hope of you sharing it, huh?" Elsa continued on, as Anna pointedly shoved another forkful of the cake into her mouth.

"Nope," Anna said, smiling smugly.

Elsa just leaned back in her chair, arms folded, watching that piece of cake slowly dwindle down to almost nothing until…

In one swift motion, one pale arm reached out and the plate was snatched from Anna's reach, and Elsa placed her own fork in it as if she were placing down a flag to establish a territory as her own.

"You're so mean," Anna whined, "It's my cake."

"You owe me, anyway."

"For what!?" Anna exclaimed.

"I drove you back to campus," Elsa said pointedly.

"I _invited_ you," Anna argued.

"But I drove."

"Okay, okay. Fine," Anna held up her hands in defeat, "It's a fair point."

Looking very pleased with herself, the blonde finished the last of the cake, saying, "That was totally worth it."

"What, fighting me for it?" Anna grumbled.

Elsa only nodded, tongue darting out to lick the last of the chocolate off of the fork before placing it down on the now empty plate.

 _Would it be really, really, weird if I just took that fork and did the same thing?_ Anna thought.

Because it was late, and apparently, the silliest little things were making her do more than just laugh.

But she grounded herself once she realized that if she continued to let thoughts like those infiltrate her mind, one may very well come out of her mouth by accident. And that information was enough to startle her back into reality.

"So…uh…thanks for driving me back here," Anna said, once she found a coherent sentence to say, "Although that cake should have been enough thanks."

"I had to work for it, so I wouldn't necessarily call it a 'thank you'," Elsa teased.

Anna rolled her eyes, "So ungrateful. If you were anyone else I would have literally wrestled you for it."

"Then it's a good thing I'm not just 'anyone else'," Elsa shot back, making Anna's face burn.

 _That really didn't come out the way I necessarily wanted it to come out…_

"Really, though," Elsa said, "It was a much better dinner than leftovers or frostbitten pizza from the freezer. So I appreciate you letting me tag along."

"You're welcome any time," Anna said, meaning every word.

The senior took her keys from the table and stood, her answer bringing a hopeful smile to Anna's face, "Until my parents leave, taking a trip to this café every once in a while doesn't seem like such a bad idea."

* * *

 **A/n:** Hey all. How's life? Mine's been so busy that 5 hours of sleep has been the norm, so I'm extremely happy that I managed to get this chapter out :p

Once this semester is over, I'll be able to get back into the schedule that I had for this story. But as for now, I'll do the best I can to get these chapters out as soon as I can.

A horse term for your dictionary: Eventing—a discipline in the equestrian sport where three 'phases' are performed: dressage, cross-country (a course of natural jumps in the open like a field/woods), and show jumping (jumping in the arena). The total of the scores of all three phases determines the rider's final placement.

As always, thanks for reading :)


	20. Chapter 20

Not even two weeks after arriving back on campus, major training was in session for the first of the two competitions that the team would be participating in.

"That's _next week_ ," Anna said, shaking her head in awe as she stared at the calendar on her wall.

Where had the time gone? It was only the second week of February, and she had an exam in a week and a half, both of her jobs were back in full swing, and, of course there was the show next week.

Weselton was getting tougher and tougher on them in lessons, although they weren't _nearly_ as exhausting as the lesson Elsa had given her. And as much as she really did want Elsa to teach the rest of her lessons…she knew that that would never be possible. The team captains would never allow it. And besides, why put herself through more torture when Weselton at least let them keep the stirrups on the saddle?

 _Because you're completely obsessed and can't go a day without seeing her face, that's why_ , Anna thought, rolling her eyes.

But while she was on that note, the stress-relief in her busy schedule came from the nights she spent with Elsa at the café, which had actually increased in number when Anna had found out (much to her surprise and pleasure) that Elsa's parents planned to stay an extra week before leaving. Of course, it probably wasn't the way Elsa preferred it to be. But…she had a sneaking suspicion that she wasn't the only one who was enjoying these trips to the café—these dinner dates, dare she call them.

Just like the party, she repeated the phrase in her mind numerous times both before _and_ after she walked out of that café: _It's not a_ real _date._

And…it really wasn't.

But that didn't mean that Anna couldn't pretend that they were. And by the way the two of them acted and got along…

 _Okay, now you're being ridiculous. You're so over attached that you're hoping anyone who walks by thinks you're a couple. That's just…weird._

"Anna!"

Anna jumped when she heard the knock on her door, jolting her out of her thoughts.

 _Oh, no. No, no, no—the team meeting starts in ten minutes. And I was supposed to be outside five minutes ago!_

"Come on, we're going to be late. Don't make me come in there and drag you out!"

" _Kristoff_ , I'm coming," Anna sighed as she reached for the jacket that was laying across her bed. Then she made her way across the room to open the door, leaving her face to face with a rather impatient looking Kristoff.

"I'm not going to wait for you next time if you keep sleeping through your alarm," Kristoff joked.

"You think that half an hour between classes before our meeting is an adequate amount of time to sleep?" Anna exclaimed, shutting the door behind her.

But Kristoff continued to tease her about it the entire walk to the main campus building, "I'm pretty sure that given the opportunity, you could fall asleep at any point in time in the day."

"Okay, that's true," Anna sighed, "But you're missing the point. I was up. I was just…running late."

And he didn't need to know why.

 _Nope. It wasn't at_ all _like I was standing around spending a good ten minutes thinking about Elsa._

And speaking of…

 _Elsa!? What in the world is she doing here?_

All of the seats in the room were practically filled, but nothing could draw Anna's attention away from the front of the room—and the platinum blonde hair that her gaze had instantly been drawn to. The senior had yet to look up, so Anna knew that she hadn't seen her yet. But she had to have known that Anna was coming. So why wouldn't she have said anything to Anna earlier?

 _She didn't say anything because she doesn't need to tell you_ everything _, and she's not completely clingy like you are, so get a grip_ , Anna reminded herself, taking a seat next to Kristoff and hoping that he didn't notice the fact that she was trying to make herself just the slightest bit more presentable—although she knew it was hopeless.

Because _dammit_ why had she picked today to wear sweatpants?

The two of them talked for a few moments, Anna desperately trying to avoid all eye contact with the blonde (for much different reasons now than at the very first meeting), until Merida brought the room to attention and began talking.

The usual topics were discussed—competitions, dates, lessons, and dues. Merida spoke about an upcoming fundraiser that they were going to have, but the only details that the team captains had were that it was going to be held off campus to try to stand out from the rest of the college's fundraisers, and that it was going to be held on a Saturday in March. Anna made a mental note to put in on her calendar when she got back to her dorm; unlike the other students in the room, Anna tried to make a habit of not being on her phone—even if it was just to add an event to the calendar.

After the announcement of the fundraiser, with the disclaimer of more details to come soon, the co-captains talked for a few minutes. But when they were both finished, just as the order had been in the first meeting, Elsa stepped up to the podium. And also just as everything had been during the first meeting, Elsa gained the attention of the entire room before she even said a word.

"Good evening," Elsa began, "I know that I don't normally attend the team meetings. However, I was called here tonight to discuss a very serious issue."

The senior paused here, as her statement had already caused a few whispers to erupt throughout the room. Anna had a fairly good idea of where it was headed…

"Some of you may have heard rumors, or bits and pieces of what happened. However, I am not here to tell you just _what_ has happened, but to reinforce the rules of our barn. A little while ago, we discovered that one of the students on this team administered a drug to a horse without permission. His intentions were not to help the horse in any way, but to, in essence, use the horse as a means of hindrance. He drugged the horse knowing that the following day, she would be showing. And, long story short, his actions resulted in disqualification from the show.

"More importantly than that, and also the real reason I am here to talk to all of you today, is that he intentionally drugged an animal that could have easily been harmed in the process. At Arendelle Riding Academy, we value the respect and honesty of our students. We take pride in the fact that we can work so closely with one of the top college level equestrian teams in the country. But with all of these qualities and opportunities come expectations and guidelines that we expect each and every one of you to follow. And I will remind you that every year before taking lessons at our barn, you sign a contract upholding you to these stipulations. Among them—perhaps the most important on the list—is the proper treatment of the horses. At Arendelle Riding Academy, our main focus is safety. And while that includes the safety of people, first and foremost, both on and off the ground, it also includes our horses. And therefore, if there is an instance like this again, there may be more consequences that could affect the entire team."

Another murmur seemed to fly through the room after this comment, and Elsa allow it for a few moments before clearing her throat, which caused every head to turn towards her once more.

"Now, I know that everything I may have said seems like common sense—if you act out of conduct, appropriate consequences will follow. But I really want to you understand that, among the chaos of training and competitions and ribbons, these horses are more than just a means to an end. They are living, breathing creatures, just like each and every one of you. We forget that, as we focus so much on ourselves and the goals of our team, that the horses are the ones who are doing half of the work. They rely on us for guidance, they trust us, and they perform for us when asked. To take that connection for granted is, essentially, breaking everything that it means to be an equestrian. To be a part of this team.

"One of the students who I know is sitting here in this room said something to me that I will never forget. While it was stated in a specific context, I feel as though it applies to _anything_ when it comes to horses. She said that working with horses in the way we do is a privilege, and not a right. And I want all of you to remember that, every single time you walk into the barn, be it for a lesson, a show, or even a simple visit.

"With that, I'd like to thank you for your time. And I certainly hope that something as serious as this will not have to be discussed again in the future."

When Elsa turned from the podium and Merida once again stepped up to talk, Anna didn't even hear a word that the advanced team captain was saying. Instead, she was in complete shock.

"That was what _I_ said," she breathed, barely able to believe it.

"What was that?" Kristoff asked, thinking that Anna had spoken to him.

"Nothing," Anna said a bit louder, not wanting to have to explain everything to him, especially when she was still somewhat in shock.

 _That was what I said_.

That last phrase was almost _exactly_ what Anna had said to Elsa the night she'd gone out to find the senior in the snowstorm. And she couldn't believe that Elsa had used her words in this speech. Elsa—whose words were so poised and carefully thought out and meaningful—had used _her_ words.

Just…

 _Wow_.

Naturally, as Anna was completely distracted, she didn't realize the meeting was over until chairs began to scrape against the floor and students were running past her every which way. Looking in front of her (and actually seeing what was there this time), she took note of the fact that Elsa was still at the front of the room, talking with Flynn. And, even though she knew she looked…a tad bit less than presentable…she felt the need to talk to the senior after hearing what she had heard.

 _And just face it. You probably wouldn't have given up the opportunity to talk her anyway…_

Before Elsa had a chance to leave, Anna told Kristoff that he didn't have to wait for her, and then made her way to the front of the room just as Elsa had finished talking with Flynn.

"Hey," Anna said, giving a small wave.

"Hi," Elsa said, returning the wave with an even smaller one and jumping right to the topic she knew Anna was going to bring up, "Hope you didn't mind the fact that I used your words."

Anna glared in feigned annoyance, "Don't you know that this is a speech class and you need citations in there? Plagiarism is illegal!"

"Glad to see _someone's_ been paying attention in class," Elsa laughed, but it sounded slightly strained, and it ended up turning into a yawn that the senior attempted (but failed) to hide behind her hand.

"Long day?" Anna asked, dropping the charade.

Elsa nodded, "It was hectic. Since my parents are leaving in three days, they wanted to see me work with Legacy one last time. And…it didn't go quite as planned."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Anna said, feeling a pang of sympathy.

"It's not your fault," Elsa said, shrugging, "It's mine. I get nervous when they watch me, and I get all tense, and Legacy feels it. Plain and simple. We're not that great on a _good_ day, so all of the added pressure just sent the whole thing spiraling out of control."

"But we're going to work on it," Anna reminded her, "Sometime soon after they leave."

"And after your show."

"That, too," Anna sighed, remembering that the next big show was right around the corner, "But right after that, then. We'll get the basics down, and the more comfortable you feel working with her, hopefully the less nervous you'll be in front of your parents."

"Hopefully," Elsa sighed.

"Hey," Anna said, nudging the senior's shoulder with her own, "Have some more confidence in yourself. You just got up there and talked in front of an entire room—you could try to channel that positivity into your riding."

"Anna, those are two completely different things," the blonde insisted.

"Maybe," Anna said, "But it's still in front of an audience."

Ironically as Anna was stating this, she noticed that almost everyone had already left the room—Merida packing up the last of her papers and walking out the door as Anna glanced over Elsa's shoulder.

An audience no more; now they were completely alone.

Elsa only shrugged, "I can't help it."

"Right," Anna said, "But it makes sense, because Legacy means so much to you. Of _course_ you'd be nervous riding in front of them—all you want is for them to see that you're continuing to improve so that they'll allow you to keep working with her."

"That sums it up perfectly."

" _And_ you want them to let you keep her."

"Right. Which is…a long shot."

"I already told you. I'm not going to give up that easily. We haven't even started yet! You know what? How about…the first lesson I have after the show, I'll stay later and we'll start working, okay?"

"Thanks, Anna," the senior said, "That…that would be really great."

"No problem," Anna smiled.

 _I'd do anything for you_.

Neither of them spoke for a moment after that, Anna taking the time as an invitation to (hopefully inconspicuously) notice the fact that Elsa had definitely not worn her normal barn clothes today. Most likely for the purposes of the meeting, she had put on something more professional, and suited for what Anna sometimes liked to refer to as 'the outside world.' Because professional in the barn and professional outside of the barn were two _very_ different things.

She had never before seen Elsa in perfectly ironed black pants, this particular blue sweater (since _when_ did Elsa wear anything remotely long-sleeved?), or even with her hair in a bun. Maybe it had been like that for the first meeting, but honestly, Anna had definitely not been paying as much attention then as he had now. But…she kind of really liked this professional look.

Even if all she wanted to do was take that bun down and run her fingers through that platinum blonde hair…

 _Okay, brain. That's enough._

Anna had definitely had her dose of staring for the day, and apparently Elsa thought so to. But unlike the times that Anna had found herself staring before, Elsa didn't tease her for it (or maybe she really _had_ been that inconspicuous about it?), instead only saying, "I should probably head back soon. I have to go file some information for a new boarder's horse."

"Oh," Anna said, a little disappointed that Elsa would have to leave, "Okay."

Elsa nodded, but didn't make any move to leave.

 _Is she…waiting for me to say something else?_ Anna wondered.

"Unless…" Elsa started, and then trailed off, looking to the ground and then back to Anna before finishing, "You'd want to go to the café? You know, since I guess it's the last opportunity before my parents leave."

Anna knew that her excitement couldn't have been held back if she had tried, "Yes! I'd love to."

Elsa had just… _asked_ her to go to the café.

And wasn't that technically the most informal equivalent of asking her on a date?

 _Dammit, it's not a date! Not a real date!_

But it was close enough, and for the moment, that was perfectly fine with Anna.

* * *

"So, what do you think?"

It was Thursday afternoon, two days before the big show, and Rapunzel had just walked into the dorm room with her new haircut—it was only up to her shoulders and _it was brown_.

"Oh. My. God," Anna said, "Wow. I like it!"

"Thanks," Rapunzel grinned, "I was a natural brunette until I dyed it. And I figured if I'm going back to short…why not go back to brunette?"

"Who did it for you?"

"There was a place a few miles down the road."

"Flynn didn't just go ahead and chop it all off? I thought that was part of the deal," Anna joked.

"Well, excuse me. I paid good money for this layering," Rapunzel crossed her arms.

Anna only laughed.

"Oh, and did you see the email?" Rapunzel asked, already off the topic of her hair and rushing over to her desk to open her laptop.

"Haven't checked that since yesterday," Anna said, "Why? What's up?"

"They sent out the new rearrangement of the advanced team since Hans left. And _they gave me a spot_!" Rapunzel all but squealed, shoving the laptop into Anna's hands.

Anna scanned the email and found that her roommate was indeed right, and while she was excited for Rapunzel, she was also a bit confused, "But wait, how's that possible? You didn't try out."

"So here's the thing—there are really four divisions. There's an even more basic class before novice that's just flatwork. It's for beginners who only walk and trot. Because the placement on the teams is determined by experience, and everyone was interested in the team because they had all ridden before, they had no one with little enough experience to be a part of the walk-trot division. Everyone was overqualified according to the rules. Until…I lost a bet."

"So you're telling me that you're going to join the team _and_ have solo lessons? That is _so_ not fair," Anna joked, "But congrats. You'll get used to the craziness of our team in no time, I promise."

Rapunzel only rolled her eyes while Anna turned back to the email and scanned it for the rest of the team adjustments. Elsa had said that a reserve would fill in for Hans for the rest of the season, and she found that his replacement was a junior named Meg.

"So do you get a lesson before the show on Saturday?"

"Yeah. I have one in an hour, and one tomorrow—just this once so that I can get some experience instead of being thrown right into everything. I know they have that policy about not riding the day before the show, but it's a bit of a necessity for me. I mean, I took lessons once when I was ten over the summer…but I kind of quit because I wanted to go to art camp instead," Rapunzel explained, "So I remember the basics. Like heels down and shoulders back and all of that stuff. But if you ask me about jumping or cantering or even posting diagonals, then you've lost me."

"Weselton's a real stickler for diagonals," Anna said.

 _And so is Elsa_.

"Thankfully he's not teaching my lessons this week, then."

"Wait, what you do mean he's not teaching them? He teaches all of the team lessons."

"Yeah, well…Elsa may or may not be teaching me until next week."

"She's _what_!?" Anna exclaimed, all thoughts of posting diagonals now far from her mind.

"She's teaching my lessons tonight and tomorrow. Just a half an hour each. I need _some_ experience before the show, and Weselton already has scheduled lessons to teach."

 _Oh, that is_ so _not fair_. _My roommate gets lessons from Elsa just because she's a beginner, and I can't? Okay. Just…breathe, Anna._

It was only for two days. Just two days…

"See, this is why I was afraid of telling you," Rapunzel teased.

Anna gave her roommate a quizzical look.

"Oh, come _on_. It's completely obvious."

" _What's_ obvious!?" Anna exclaimed.

"You're jealous."

Oh.

 _Shit._

This was just getting out of control now. She _was_ jealous.

 _You're jealous that your roommate gets to spend a half an hour with Elsa for two days in a row. Really, Anna, really?_

"I…am not," Anna said, trying to keep her tone level. Diverting the conversation away from the current topic, she continued, "But are you going to be there when I'm working then? Kristoff can probably drive you down to the barn, too."

"Sure, that'd be great," Rapunzel said, choosing to let the previous topic go much more easily than Anna had anticipated.

But when the two turned their separate ways to start on their work, Anna felt the stress of her emotions crash down on her, and struggled to focus on the paper she was currently attempting to write.

 _Good God, it's going to be a long night_.

* * *

When the two of them arrived at the barn later that night, Anna had no choice but to walk into Elsa's office with her roommate, which meant that Anna didn't get to talk with Elsa before her shift.

Because Elsa had to teach Rapunzel's lesson _during_ Anna's shift.

 _Okay, so it won't be as bad then. You won't have to see them work while you're cleaning stalls._

But Anna couldn't help it. The entire time she was bringing horses in and turning horses out, she couldn't resist glancing into the arena and to watch what was happening. Rapunzel's horse was a bay name Sprite, who was the perfect lesson pony for beginners. Elsa had clipped the lead line onto Sprite's bridle, and Rapunzel was walking the pony in circles. Large circles, meaning that there were quite a few yards between Elsa and Rapunzel.

 _Good_.

…

 _Wait, what? Why's that good? It's not even a problem. Rapunzel likes Flynn. Get a grip_ , Anna remind herself.

But the more she tried to stop thinking about it, the more she succeeded in driving herself crazy. And when she walked into the barn for the fifth time leading a tall palomino mare, she saw that Elsa was adjusting the position of Rapunzel's leg _for_ her—showing Anna's roommate how far back her leg should be in relation to the girth.

 _Dammit why can't I be a beginner so that she can adjust my position for_ me!?  
In Anna's moment of lost focus, the mare she was leading decided that it would be the opportune time to socialize with Knight, whose stall Anna had stopped outside of. And in one frenzied motion, Knight decided that he didn't want to get along with this particular palomino mare at that very moment, and he lunged forward, making a snapping motion with his teeth. The mare lunged away, flattening her ears. And the clanking of teeth against the metal stall bars drew Anna's attention…and also Elsa and Rapunzel's attention.

 _Now look what you've done_ , Anna sighed, lowering her gaze from the concerned and… _skeptical_ look that Elsa had given her.

Making sure that the palomino was calm, she once again walked forward, fully focused on what was around her, vowing that she wouldn't watch Rapunzel's lesson for the rest of her shift.

And luckily, she was able to refrain from glancing into the arena again, although it was tempting. Because by the time she had gone upstairs to sweep, she found that no one was in the arena, and she breathed a sigh of relief. But the entire time she swept, she found that she was involuntarily letting out her frustration by means of the broom, dragging it so forcefully across the floor that the dust seemed to fly up and around her instead of settling into a pile.

"Good God, what did that broom ever do to you?"

Anna whipped her head around so quickly she was surprised that she hadn't dropped the broom altogether.

"Nothing," Anna said quickly, but when she met Elsa's gaze, she wasn't able to hold it. Instead she looked down to the broom in her hands and repeated, "Just…nothing."

"Okay," Elsa said slowly, "Try not to break it, then."

Anna didn't answer as the senior walked past her to get to the lounge, and the entire time she was up there, Anna couldn't even think straight.

 _Why_ did it agitate her so much that Elsa was teaching Rapunzel's lessons?

Now all she wanted was to get downstairs, sign out, and leave. And so, disregarding the rest of the sweeping (something she tried not to make a habit of; but really, it was clean enough as it was), she headed for the steps.

Anna had never signed her name so quickly, but as it turned out, it was all for nothing, anyway. In her hurried frenzy to head out, just as she had the day of the first show, she ran into Elsa when the senior was walking down the stairs. Except this time, she _actually_ ran into her.

 _Could the timing have been_ any _better?_ Anna thought, resisting a groan.

"Sorry," Elsa said, before Anna even had a chance to speak. Although that was a good thing—Anna couldn't have exactly taken comfort in the fact that whatever she _would_ have said would have been something nice.

"It's fine," Anna grumbled, not returning the apology even though she knew it was partially her fault.

"Are you okay?" Elsa asked before Anna could leave, a look of genuine concern present on her face.

While Anna appreciated more than anything that the senior noticed and cared, right now, she could do nothing to contain the slight anger that she had yet to find a way to get rid of. She said curtly, "I'm fine."

"I don't think so," Elsa argued, "You don't look fine. And by the way you were practically beating the life out of that broom—"

"It's just a broom! It doesn't have _feelings_!"  
 _Unlike me!_

"I never said that it did," Elsa said, and Anna didn't know what to make of the senior's tone.

 _And…I need to control said feelings. Now. Before I say something that I probably shouldn't._

"I know," Anna sighed, "I just…" She just…what? How could she explain this? "I'm really stressed out right now, that's all."

"Okay," Elsa said, but the look that she gave the redhead definitely showed that she was somewhat unconvinced.

"Yep," Anna continued, "School and work and the horse show and…stuff," she trailed off lamely.

"I see," Elsa said, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. This confused Anna until the senior said, "And it could possibly have _anything_ to do with the fact that someone else gets a lesson from me and you don't?"

Anna's face turned a shade of crimson, but she tried to argue anyway, "It doesn't."

"Really?" Elsa continued, "That's a shame because I think it's rather endearing."

 _You do?_

"Uh…you do?" Anna asked, knowing her face was even redder than before.

But Elsa only laughed and turned to go, her voice ringing loud and clear through the empty aisle, "You're a terrible liar, you know that?"

* * *

 **A/n:** Hey all. Long time, no update :p

Life's been rather hectic lately, and that's why these chapters are becoming so spaced out. I'm going to do my best to finish this story, but it seems that as the semesters continue, I end up with more work both in and out of class. And I'm going to be completely honest and say that I've gotten into a lot of different fandoms recently and I've had more ideas for other fanfics than I seem to have for this one. I'm usually not one to leave something unfinished so I really, _really_ will try my best to find a way to continue this one. I just feel like I haven't yet figured out where I want to go with it, or how I want it to end. Stepping back from it for a while has given me a bit of a new perspective on it, so it'll all come in time, I guess.

But thanks for sticking through these sporadic updates, and, of course, thanks for reading :)

(And also just a quick note—it's not really a horse term, but leg position is a big deal in horseback riding, and a lot of beginners really need to be shown where their leg is supposed to stay in proximity to the girth and all of that technical fun stuff.)


End file.
